Andromeda: DS9
by MikeJaffa
Summary: Captain Shickunt and the crew of the Androzia Defiant are facing off with their former Klingonean crew member, Tyworrf, when Dr. Bashir and Quark start acting strangely… huh?
1. Chapter 1

TITLE: Andromeda: DS9

AUTHOR: Michael J. Gallagher/MikeJaffa

SYNOPSIS: Captain Shickunt and the crew of the Androzia Defiant are facing off with their former Klingonean crew member, Tyworrf, when Dr. Bashir and Quark start acting strangely… huh?

DISCLAIMER: Star Trek: DS9 is owned by Paramount; Andromeda is owned by … Tribune? But I am making no money off this. Please don't sue me.

"When Love Battles Fate,

Worlds Shake"

- Inscription on Bajoran ruins, date uncertain

Captain Major Bekyra Norentine blinked and stared at the root beer on the table in front of her.

"What the…?" Colored dance floor lights caught the blonde highlights in her red hair and the clip on her left ear. She looked around. The night club/bar in the Eureka Deep Space Station, the Ferengi trading post in the Bajoran system, looked the same as it always had. But here on its mezzanine level, she was sitting at a table facing an empty chair; and although there was one glass of root beer, there were two place settings. Hadn't someone been sitting there a minute ago?

But she didn't remember coming in with anyone. She knew she had been drinking alone. Yet she was still uncertain. Had something happened?

"More weirdness?" she muttered. Her life had had more than its share of non-stop strangeness since the *Androzia Defiant,* which had been frozen in time on the edge of a black hole for 3,000 years - since the battle that had precipitated the fall of the Federated Commonwealth - had come into her life along with three surviving crew members - Dr. Julian Bashir, it's A. I. Jadommie Rax, and Captain Bendylan Shickunt - sometimes making her miss the days when her biggest worry had been bringing her privateer, the *Maru 9,* into port without Quark groping her. But she had been just talking to someone about weirdness, hadn't she?

"Major!?" She heard Quark's voice pushing through the crowd to her table. The big-eared Ferengi came up to the table and gawked at her. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded. "What happened to Major Kyra and Captain Valentine?"

"Who?" Bekyra demanded. "Quark, how much of your own hooch have you been drinking?"

"You…know me?"

"Uh, yeah, I do, and I'm in no mood for-" Her com bracelet buzzed. Bekyra tabbed it. "Go," she said.

"Bekyra," Bendylan's deep voice answered, "it looks like Tyrworrf is making his move. I'm opening Tesserport gates to bridge of the *Androzia*"

A square of blue light pulsed into existence in front of her.

"On my way," Bekyra said. She started to walk towards the portal. "Quark, whatever's eating you will have to wait."

"Like hell!"

Bekyra heard Quark catch up to her just as she went through the tesserporter gate. She found herself and Quark on the *Androzia's* cavernous bridge.

"Quark!?" Dr. Bashir called from an aft station. At the nearby defense console, Roar'De, their Klingonean tactical officer, frowned.

"Doctor!" Quark called. "Please tell me I'm not crazy."

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Bashir responded.

Bendylan Shickunt, the *Androzia's* bald- dark-skinned captain of Indo-Asian descent, barely turned around in his command chair. "We are all mad as hatters," he barked. He turned to Bekyra. "What are they talking about?"

"No idea," Bekyra said as she settled into the flight control couch.

"Perhaps Station Administrator Quark has been drinking the bar's wares again," Roar'De harrumphed.

"What did you call me?" Quark asked.

"Another time!" Bendylan barked. "Quark, stay out of the way. Doctor, please take your station."

"Station…?" Bashir looked around blankly.

"Doctor-"

"It's ok," said Guinance, the woman with black-and-gold striped skin as she came over to Bashir. "Over here, Julian."

Bashir frowned at her. "Guinan?"

"Guinance," she corrected. "We've been friends for years."

"We have?"

"Haven't we?"

"Cast off from the station, Bekyra," Bendylan ordered. "Rax, what's the status on our friends?"

"The Klingonean ships are still not responding to my challenges," said the android form of Jadommie Rax, the *Androzia's* A. I, narrating the tactical graphic showing a squadron of arrow-shaped Klingonean war ships. The talk, dark-haired female android had become the object of Brien O'Harper's affections when they'd met, but Bekyra's flight engineer had kept the *Androzia* in good order, and so Bendylan had tolerated the crush (which, strangely enough, had seemed to form the basis for an odd friendship).

"How did Tyworrf catch us with our pants down?" Bekyra wondered.

"No idea," O'Harper radioed from Eureka Deep Space's ops center. "But with him involved, it's not good."


	2. Chapter 2

Tyworrf blinked. Tall and dark-skinned, he had his race's characteristic vertical forehead ridge but he no longer had the forearm barbs like the other Klingoneans on the bridge around his command chair; his barbs had been lost when the *Androzia* had run afoul of those tunnel aliens. He looked down at himself. Had he been somewhere else a moment ago? The command chair of the Klingonean flagship felt strange and familiar at the same time. But this had been his ship for months since he had left the *Androzia* to take control of the *Klingonean* race by masquerading as the genetic reincarnation of Dragolhess Muss'Sevini, his race's greatest hero. He knew he had done something like that…but the memories felt strange, and the names seemed wrong.

"The *Androzia* has cast off from the Ferengi station," an officer reported.

"We have them, husband," Frey'Eleyr, his wife, said from his elbow. Tall with black-and blonde hair, in a gold-trimmed hooded cloak, even humans found his Klingonean mate beautiful. "We can destroy them once and for all."

"And we will…when *I* give the order," Tyworrf said. He still couldn't shake the uncertainty he was feeling, or memories…a warrior raised by the Federation-no, sold into slavery….two lives similar yet different. Yet he knew his own life, didn't he?

He focused on the image of the *Androzia:* The last surviving capital ship of the ancient United Federated Commonwealth of Planetary Systems. Gleaming and powerful, its elliptical central hull was nestled inside flying buttresses and nacelles containing the ship's hangars and warp stream drive. He had been a part of its crew for three years before leaving it behind - and burning bridges with … the others - to pursue his destiny. Hadn't he? Why the uncertainty? And why did the Federated Commonwealth ship look familiar and odd at the same time?

"'Federated Commonwealth'?" he murmured. Why did that seem strange?

"Why delay?" Frey'Eleyr pulled back her hood and knelt by her husband's chair. "We can destroy Captain Shickunt; without his protection, the Ferengi will surrender the secrets of fighting the Dominion of the Abyss. Destroy them-"

"Tyr!?" a woman's voice called. They turned to see an elderly human woman with dark hair run onto the bridge. Tyrworrf saw the woman had bony spikes extruding from her forearms in imitation of Klingonean arm barbs.

(Or was it the other way around?)

"Seize her!" Frey'Eleyr barked.

A guard advanced on the woman; she drew a kinife from her gown and adopted a fighting stance. "I don't know where your vulnerable points are, but I am not afraid to find out. And I am not as infirm as you might think. If you wish to survive and procreate, this is your last warming."

"No one makes threats on this bridge!" Frey'Eleyr shouted. "Kill her."

"Hold!" Tyworrf ordered. He rose from his chair.

"Husband-" Frey'Eleyr started.

Tyworrf waved her to silence as he crossed to the strange human woman.

"I know you," he said. "Your name…your name is Olma. And you are…a Nietzschean."

Olma's eyes searched Tyrworrf's. "Tyr?" she said. "Is that you? Are you in there?"

Tyworrf's eyes narrowed. Then he turned to his helmsman. "Back away from the station," he ordered. "Withdraw until they are just outside weapons range."

The helmsman looked up at him.

"Do as I command." Tyworrf turned to Olma. "I fear we have a greater mystery to solve."


	3. Chapter 3

Jadommie's screen image said, "The Klingonean ships are withdrawing."

"Do they still have weapons lock?" Bendylan asked.

"Yes…" Roar'De said. "They've halted just outside weapons range."

"Very well." Bendylan rubbed his face. "Tyworrf wouldn't give up a good position like that, not unless something else had his attention."

"I may be able to shed some light on that," Bashir said as he crossed the bridge to stand in front of his captain. "Captain, sir, I regret to inform you…" He trailed off. "I don't know quite how to say this."

Bendylan stood. "We've known each other a long time, Julian. You should know there isn't any subject you can't broach with me."

"That's just it, sir," Bashir said stiffly. "We haven't known each other a long time. As a matter of fact, you didn't exist until a few minutes ago."

"What?" Bendylan gasped.

"It's true," Quark said.

"Ok!" Bekyra said as she got up from the pilot's couch. "Joke over. Guys, this isn't the time or the place." She poked herself with her thumb. "Me Bekyra Norentine," she said pugnaciously. "Me always has been Bekyra Norentine, and me realizes you guys are just having some fun to lighten the tension because Tyrworrf has come back to kill us. But guys, this is not the time or the place. So drop it, or me, the once and future Bekyra Norentine, will kick your butts!"

"I'm not so sure," Bendylan said.

"Please," Bekyra said. "This is a badly timed joke. Not everything is weird-" She broke off and turned to Guinance. The mysterious woman was holding her abdomen in pain. "Guinance?" Bekyra asked her former crew member . "Are you all right?"

"I don't..." Guinance managed. "…Bekyra, I…."

Guinance suddenly threw back her head and gold flame erupted from her eyes and mouth. As the flame congealed into a sphere near the ceiling, the black stripes on Guinance's face expanded, making her skin completely black, and her clothes rippled and changed.

The flames stopped. Guinance(?) sank to the deck as the sphere floated down next to her and collapsed into a gold-skinned woman with red dreadlocks and a low-cut red one-piece uniform.

"Guinance?" Bekyra asked.

"Guinan," the black woman said as she and the gold-skinned woman helped each other get up.

"And I'm Trance," the gold skinned woman said. "You have to listen to us, Captain. Two universes have been smashed together."

"And if we can't figure out how to reverse it," Guinan said, "everything will be destroyed."

"Ok," Bekyra said, "maybe there is some weirdness going on after all."

"Or maybe we just pulled the biggest hoax in the history of all time," Quark said, "but if I were you, I wouldn't bet hard currency on it."

Bendylan sat in his chair. "Rax, keep an eye on the Klingonean ships." He turned to Trance and Guinan. "All right, ladies, you have my complete attention. I'm listening…"


	4. Chapter 4

THE BAJOR SYSTEM - ANOTHER UNIVERSE

"I wish to let it be known I do not like surprise parties," Worf intoned, sitting blindfolded in a chair in Quark's bar on Deep Space Nine.

He heard Captain Benjamin Sisko say, "But it's not a surprise party, Worf, because you already know about it. The surprise is in the gift."

"Which has arrived," Jadzia Dax added. "Ok, Worf, open your hand."

Worf grumbled softly but opened his right hand. He felt a glass pushed into it. "What is it?" he asked.

"Sorry, you have to drink it," Major Kyra said.

Worf cautiously brought the glass to his lips, took a slip-

- and broke into a grin when he downed it. "Prune juice!?" he yelped, surprised.

"Couldn't let you go without your warrior's drink," a familiar woman's voice said.

"Guinan!?" Worf tore off the blindfold. The black skinned bartender from the *Enterprise* stood before him, flanked by Quark and two other Ferengi - one older and one about the same age as Quark. He also recognized Admiral Paris.

Worf started to stand. "Admiral-"

"As you were," Admiral Paris said. "This is your day, Commander. Enjoy it."

"You're not getting out of drinking your prune juice that easily," Guinan said with a smile.

"Why would I want to?" Worf smiled as he savored the rest of the juice. The he turned to Guinan. "You brought this from the *Enterprise*?"

"No, although Captain Picard and the others send their regards; they were unable to make it. That's not replicated; it's real prune juice, brought from Earth by Quark's cousin here, Daimon Pi Meson."

"The first of many shipments from Earth," Pi Meson said with a smile. "And I also have a lucrative deal for root beer from a bottler in - what's the name of the city?"

"Montreal," Quark said.

"Yes, Montreal," Pi Meson said.

"It's part of a pilot program," Admiral Paris said. "We still have to move supplies that can't be replicated, and the Ferengi have made the case that they are the experts on moving cargo and keeping it safe. We're going to observe their operations and use them as a models for a new generation of armed cargo ships. Assuming, of course, the Ferengi behave themselves." He turned to the old Ferengi. "Isn't that right, Kaimon Muon?"

"Any business relationship is prone to misunderstandings in the early stages," Muon said authoritatively. "But I am sure we will smooth things out and both sides will profit from it. We have much to teach our Federation friends, don't we Pi?"

Pi nodded. "Don't get me wrong, I admire Starfleet. The *Galaxy,* *Nebula,* and *Sovereign* class starships are marvels engineering. Militarily, they're the equal of anything out there, no question. But when it comes to efficiently moving merchandise, you have it all wrong. Quite frankly, you don't know your lobes from beetle nests. You need help. And after profiting from my dealings with the Federation, I'm glad to help."

"Only fare," Quark said, "and good for business. As uncle Muon always said, don't bet against hyu-mons."

"And I said it even when you boys weren't listening," Muon said. "But you know your crazy uncle is right now, don't you?"

"Yes, Uncle," Quark and Pi chorused.

"Strange," Odo said. "With the Federation being threatened by the Dominion, you're not even hedging your bets?"

"Boys?" Muon said.

Quark went first: "Where other species seem to focus on one thing to the exclusion of all else - and yes, I include the Ferengi in this - hyu-mons have done a little bit of everything. They've had the honor-bound warrior classes, but not to the exclusion of all else. They've had their brilliant scientists, but they're not all nerds. And as far as capitalism goes, if I hadn't already been to Earth, I'd be taking a pilgrimage to Wall Street this year. But they didn't all become merchants."

"When did you go to Earth?" Pi asked.

"1947."

"Huh?"

"Never mind. The point is hyu-mons specialize in not specializing. You see it in their food - a little bit of this, a little bit of that. It makes you flexible, able to adapt. And where you may fall short in an area, you have the lobes to draw on species who make that area their business. You're the living embodiments of diversification."

"That adaptability has served you well," Pi said. "In the past 75 years, the Federation has doubled its territory and made quantum leaps in starship design. In contrast, the Dominion's territory has only increased 5% over the last 150 years, and their starship design has been frozen for twice that long."

"Their societal structure is too rigid," Quark said. "It stifles innovation. Which goes along with what the Founders are." Quark turned to Odo. "Nothing personal, Odo, but your people are a homogenous pile of goo. They pick a place to lie and stay there. They're the opposite of nimble. In one of the greatest ironies of all time, a race of shape shifters has given up trying to adapt. They don't bother. One way or another, they'll lose in the long run."

"There's plenty of upside for hyu-monity in spite of recent challenges," Muon said, "and these boys had the lobes to see that - if grudgingly, at first - but they let good business sense win out in the end. And so maybe it's time for them to take on new challenges."

Quark and Pi frowned. "What are you saying, Uncle?" Quark asked.

"I can't live forever," Muon said. "It's getting close to time for me to retire. But someone has to take over my counting house on Ferenginar." He smiled broadly and clapped his hands on his nephews' shoulders. "And so I am going to name my nephews, Quark and Pi Meson, to be my successors, pending approval from the board of directors."

"I…" Quark stammered. "I don't know what to say, Uncle."

"I'm speechless as well," Pi said.

Muon smiled. "I knew you boys would be happy."


	5. Chapter 5

The party swirled on in spite of Muon's bombshell; Quark and Pi Meson hid their reactions, and everyone else appeared to ignore the possibility of Quark leaving (for now). So Sisko didn't think anything of it when Admiral Paris sidled over to him. "Admiral," Sisko said with a nod.

"Ben. Having a good time?"

"Good enough."

"Quite an announcement Muon made. I did not see that coming. But I liked the way he put it. It begs the question of whether someone else should take on new challenges."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"This isn't official, Ben; no one has cut any new orders for you. But there are some in San Francisco who think your experience and insight would be better served on Earth planning for the Dominion threat than out here on DS9...being a Ferengi's land lord."

Sisko bristled a little but kept his cool. "I do more than collect Quark's rent, Admiral."

"I know. But the Dominion is the greatest threat to the Federation after the Borg, and some argue even greater. Almost all of our intelligence comes from your engagements with them. That makes you a valuable asset, one we could lose if they mount a surprise attack through the wormhole. But that also means you're the perfect candidate for the staying here, at the tip of the spear."

"What about the station if I go to Earth?"

"Major Kyra is an able officer from your reports, and some think Bajor should assume most, if not all of the responsibility here."

"Is the Federation abandoning Deep Space Nine?"

"NO, Ben. Bajor would never be abandoned, but that doesn't mean we have to run their station in perpetuity. Especially as long as they are not a Federation member."

"Are you saying this to try and put pressure on them to join, Admiral?"

"I'm not saying anything, Ben. This is all unofficial."

"Where do you stand, unofficially?"

"Let's just say that if you wanted a ride back to Earth on Daimon Pi Meson's ship, I wouldn't object."


	6. Chapter 6

Quark came onto the Promenade's mezzanine and found Pi Meson standing by one of the big windows. Quark went over to him and followed his gaze: They could see Pi's ship docked to one of the upper pylons. It had the same shape as a Ferengi Maruader, but was slightly smaller and the lines weren't as smooth.

"You still have that old bucket of bolts?" Quark asked. "You could afford a new ship by now and not spend all your income on repairs."

Pi smiled. "I prefer to think she has personality, and just needs a little tender loving care."

"Nnn." Quark looked out of the window for a moment. "So, what do you think?"

"What is there to think?" Pi said.

"A counting house on Ferenginar," Quark said.

"Very profitable."

"Enough for a fleet of ships, cousin."

"Or a chain of restaurants, cousin."

They paused.

"Crap," they chorused.

"Am I interrupting?" a voice said behind them. They turned to see Guinan coming over to them.

"Not at all," Pi said. "I was just headed back to the party." He went back to the bar.

Guinan sidled over to Quark. "Thinking about your future?" she asked.

"I really don't want to talk about it," Quark said.

"I understand. I guess I'm used to giving advice."

"That does seem to be part of being a bar tender."

"Mmm-hmmm."

"So, bar tender to bar tender, what do you think of my establishment?"

Guinan smiled. "Worf has said nice things about it in his letters," she said diplomatically.

Quark laughed. "Good enough. I have to get back."

Quark turned and headed back to the bar. Guinan kept looking out the window. The station's rotation brought Bajor's star into view, and she could see the blue star of Bajor itself.

A star that got her attention. "No," she said. Then she turned and headed back to the bar.


	7. Chapter 7

"Why do you want to go to Bajor?" Sisko asked Guinan as they sidled away from the party.

"A feeling," Guinan answered.

"I'll need more than that-" He looked over her shoulder. "Ah, I think this will have to wait."

Guinan followed his gaze. A young Bajoran monk was hurrying into the bar accompanied by a Bajoran station security officer. He spied Sisko and came over to him. "Ah, Emmissary," he said breathlessly. "Thank the prophets I've found you. I am Brother Traejen of the Order of the Ages. I have a matter that may urgently need your attention. I'd like to have a meeting with you and your senior staff as soon as possible."

"Really?" Sisko asked. Although he'd learned to accept, even feel honored by, his role in Bajoran religion, it could be trying.

"Yes…" Traejen said nervously. "Yes, I believe I…the military liaison's exact words were, 'Tell Ben this is one of those things that could bite us in the ass. He'll listen.'"

"I think I'll sit in," Guinan said. "And Captain, before you say it, yes, I have clearance. And yes, you probably should talk to Captain Picard before the next time someone from the *Enterprise* visits."


	8. Chapter 8

Guinan stood near the back of the conference room and watched as Traejen stood near the front wall screen, Sisko, Kyra, Dax, Bashir, O'Brien, Worf and Odo seated around the table. Traejen was nervous, but Sisko told him to relax and take his time. It seemed to help.

"I represent a small order that has dedicated itself to the physical study of the orbs," Traejen explained. "We believe that by studying the orbs themselves we can divine the nature and will of the Prophets. Not all clerics share this view, but we have been responsible for much of Bajor's scientific advances. We take our name from the Orb of Ages. This particular orb has been on Bajor since before the dawn of civilization, and is unique in many respects. For one, it can not be moved from its location; even modern technology like tractor beams can not move it, and transporters can not get a lock on it. Initial scientific studies show that although it is floating in place, it's mass is the equivalent of the masses of the Milky Way, Andromeda, and Triangulum galaxies combined. Not surprisingly, our monastery grew around it. Cave art near the site associate it with something called The Route of Ages - hence its name - and some believe it is somehow connected to alternate universes, although that matter….well, if our findings are correct, that might not be up for debate anymore."

"It's linked to other universes?" Dax asked.

"Perhaps a multitude of universes," Traejen said. "But I am getting ahead of myself.

"The other unique thing is that other than defying gravity, the orb is totally inert. No emissions of any kind in normal space or subspace, and no heat production; it is at room temperature. Or at least it was inert until a month ago, when it began emitting radio signals."

"Radio signals?" Sisko asked. "Ordinary electromagnetic radio signals?"

"Yes-again, it is subspace dead," Traejen said. "Initial analysis showed it to be a binary transmission, so the origin was clearly artificial, but other than that, we had no idea what we were dealing with. We had to string together five universal translators and consult with the Daystorm Institute to finally decipher it. We uncovered a data stream and I/O protocols from an extremely sophisticated computer network. We were able to decipher and convert the image."

Traejen tabbed a control on the desk and the wall screen lit. Several rows of information appeared. Sisko read the names at the left side of each row:

D. Hunt CO

B. Valentine XO/Pilot

S. Harper Engineer

T. Anasazi Inactive/Discharged Pending Charges

T. Rhade Visiting/Temporary Acces Granted

T. Gemini ES/CMO

Next to each name was a box with what looked like a double helix in it, although the box next to "T. Gemini" was empty. The remaining fields were filled by statistics and wavy lines. "The stream periodically repeats itself," Traejen explained. "We think the signal is caught in a time loop, or periodically bounces off something. It could be from the past or the future or right now. We don't know. But we realized very quickly what the data is."

"Vital signs," Bashir said. "Pulse, blood pressure, brain activity…but what's with …. Gemini? It shows ambient temperature and nothing but brain activity, if that is brain activity."

"We don't know," Traejen said. "It could be a malfunction in their system, a corruption of the data, or it could be from an individual from a completely unknown species unlike any the Federation has ever encountered. There's no way to tell. In any case, initially, the most interesting thing was the genetic information in the other streams, which is apparently used as file identifiers. They are all from human beings, but only S. Harper's shows no signs of genetic engineering. And these two, Rhade and Anasazi, show more engineering than the others but in identical ways."

"A universe where the Eugenics Wars ended differently?" Bashir asked.

"I'm more interested in the logo in the upper right corner," Sisko said.

"Yes," Traejen said, and he read: "'Systems Commonwealth High Guard Cruiser XMC 10-284 Andromeda Ascendant.' We believes these individuals are the officers or crew of some kind of military vessel, and this data stream is medical information being relayed through their computer network; we're seeing it by accident."

"Signal leakage?" Dax asked.

"Probably," Traejen said.

"How does this merit my attention?" Sisko asked.

"Because starting a month ago, another signal came through, again repeating itself. We had to clean up and combine several iterations of it, and as you like to say, it blew our socks off. We think it is intership communication during some sort of confrontation." He tabbed the desk control. "I apologize for the quality."

A static filled image appeared on the screen, and the image was split: On the left-hand side was a brown haired man in a blue suit with black shoulder pads; the only indication of any military rank was a small pin on his collar. The room behind him reminded Sisko of a hotel, but then he saw the more metallic corridor in a door behind the man. 'Something like a Galaxy class ship,' Sisko thought.

The other image was filled with the face of a black man with a beard and mustache, hair shaved down to stubble, in a leather vest. The space behind him was far more mechanical, utilitarian. It reminded Sisko of one of the private cargo ships that came through DS9.

"The map is all I want," the black man said without preamble.

"I want to talk with Beka," the brown haired man replied.

'No identifiers,' Sisko thought. 'So they know each other and are at odds. Lovely.'

"She's with me, now," the black man said.

"Prove it."

Over the black man's shoulder, they saw a blonde woman in a leather jacket. "It's true, Dylan," she said. "I'm with Tyr for one reason." She drew a pistol and aimed it at the black man's head. "One only. Dylan, the portal is a way to control the abyss. And you've got to get out of here. The entire Nietzschean army is headed this way to destroy you."

"Beka, make sure-" Dylan started.

"Listen," Beka went on, "the Magog are close, only months away. We don't have as much time as we thought."

"We'll get you out of there."

"Yeah, well, you'd better hurry. I have one angry Nietzschean on the end of my barrel."

Tyr grimaced. "Not angry." Then that side of the screen went blank.

"Beka!" Dylan said. "Tyr!…Andromeda!"

Another woman appeared in the right side of the screen. She had long black hair, olive skin, pouty red lips and brown eyes. Behind her was what must have been a screen filled with data files and readouts.

"Get them back!" Dylan ordered.

"I'm sorry, Dylan," the woman said. "Transmission has been cut."

("They're not talking about beaming," Dax noted. "Maybe-" "Shh!" Kyra hissed.)

"Well, try and hack your way…" Dylan trailed off as he watched something. Sisko could see the alarm break through the military discipline.

"Andromeda," Dylan said, "status on the *Maru.*"

"The Maru's engines are at full," Andromeda answered. "All directional thrusters also at full."

"Beka's thrown it out of control." Dylan turned and headed away from the camera. "Match their course."

"Acknowledged."

Dylan's side of the screen blanked. Andromeda looked down, then looked up again, eyes searching. "Who's there?" she said. "Who's listening to this? I am the Commonwealth starship *Andromeda Ascendant* under the command of Captain Dylan Hunt. Identify yourself." She waited. "Signal lost. Source: Route of Ages. Lovely. I have *got* to get dry dock time when all this is over. And some place nice, not one run by Harper's 'buds.'" She vanished.

"That's it," Traejen said.

"Was she aware of you?" Dax asked.

"We're not sure," Traejen answered. "After much debate, we transmitted signals on the same frequency but received no reply. There's no telling if she was responding to our signals *before* we sent it, or was just somehow aware of our equipment."

"That-that-that-" O'brien stammered. "Captain, that ship, the *Andromeda,* she has to be a sentient starship!"

"With full self awareness and emotions," Dax said.

"That's been the holy grail of starship design for a hundred years," O'Brien went on. "No matter how many advances in computer science we've made, we've never been able to crack it. The Federation's finest minds have been looking at Data for years and we still don't know how he and his brother work! And yet, in that universe, they talk to a sentient ship like it's nothing." His eyes went dreamy. "What I wouldn't give for an hour with that system."

"Down boy," Kyra said. "Remember, you're married."

"Huh?" O'Brien said. "I was just admiring the technology, Major."

"They use radio waves," Dax said, "and neither Dylan nor Andromeda made any mention of beaming Beka out of that situation. Maybe some of our technology doesn't work in that universe, and vice versa."

"Very probably," Traejen said.

"Well, Captain D-for-Dylan Hunt must have some interesting crew relations problems," Odo growled, "if I am correct that Mr. T-for-Tyr Anasazi is a former crew member who became an enemy."

"Tyr has no honor," Worf boomed. "That much is obvious."

"And that Beka must be an armful," Kyra said. "Talk about an attitude with legs. If Dylan is the straight-laced military type he appears to be, then the Prophets have mercy on him for having to deal with her every day."

Sisko stared at Kyra.

"What?" Kyra asked him.

"Nothing." Sisko turned to Traejen. "I'm more worried about some of the things Captain Hunt mentioned that sound like existential threats, the Magog and the Abyss."

"We wondered the same thing, Captain," Traejen said. "There's no reference to them in any ancient texts. Our military liaison said no one has heard of them either, and that includes Starfleet Intelligence. We can hope those threats are specific to the other universe and not this one."

"Then why is this important?" Bashir asked. "It doesn't seem like there's anything we can do about it. These signals could have been bouncing around the multiverse for a million years or more, and these people could be long dead."

"Two things," Traejen said. "First, this morning, this started happening to the orb." Traejen tabbed the desk. The wall screen showed an image of a black sphere floating above a stone alter, surrounded by lights and scientific equipment. But although the sphere appeared to be ebony stone, there seemed to be light *inside* it, as if it was a hollow sphere, light in the form of nested cubes twisting and turning around each other.

"That looks like a 3-dimensional projection of a tesseract," Dax said.

"Cave writings associate that with the Route of Ages," Traejen said.

"What's the other thing that happened?" Sisko said.

"At the same time that image appeared," Traejen answered, "we began to receive a new set of signals with…with Tyr Anasazi's vital signs, and these new signals are getting stronger."

"I see," Sisko said as he stood up. "You were absolutely right to bring this to my attention. Major Kyra, prep one of the runabouts for launch. You, Dr. Bashir, Dax, and Worf are with me." Then he remembered the figure standing at the back of the room. "Guinan," he said, "would you like to accompany us?"

Guinan smiled. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."


	9. Chapter 9

…YET ANOTHER UNIVERSE….

"Transiting to normal space," Beka said. "These are the coordinates of that distress signal, which we are answering even though Pish still has a bounty on us."

"Yeah," Harper said. "Perfect time to go after a drift under siege from pirates."

"Strategically unwise," Rhade said from the *Andromeda's* tactical station.

"Thank you gentlemen and lady," Dylan said. "Trance? Care to add anything? Like how in a cryptic future this works out without explaining it?"

"Rule of Acquisition number 62," the gold-skinned warrior maiden said, "'The riskier the road, the greater the profit.'"

"'Rule of acquisition'?" Harper whined. "What's that?"

"I don't know," Trance said.

"We're half a light second from the drift," Rommie announced from her podium as a tactical graphic appeared on one of the big main screens. "It is under siege by Nietzschean attack craft." Then the graphic changed. "And both the drift and its attackers have turned their weapons on us. More fighters have come into position behind us, blocking our retreat to the slip point. We are surrounded and outgunned."

Dylan rubbed his eyes.

"I knew it," Beka said, "my last words will be 'Dylan, I told you so.'"

"Incoming transmission," Rommie said.

"On screen," Dylan said.

An elderly Nietzschean woman appeared on the central screen. She had dark hair and a gold chain around her neck, wearing a purple dress.

"Captain Hunt," she said, "thank you for coming. I am Olma Rajput, formerly of Orca Pride." She looked off camera and nodded.

"The surrounding spacecraft have powered down their weapons," Rommie said, "although they still have weapons lock on us."

"I apologize for the deception," Olma went on, "but it was the only way to get your attention."

"Since when does a Nietzschean apologize for being deceptive?" Harper said.

"Harper!" Rhade snapped. "The matriarch may be an enemy, but show some respect."

"It's quite all right, um…" Olma prodded.

"Telamachus Rhade, out of Majorum by Rhade."

"Ah, Terra Zed." She shifted her attention to Harper. "And you would be the famed Seamus Harper?"

Harper was surprised at the chance to promote himself, but didn't turn it down. "The one the only," he said.

"'Famed'?" Beka said. "She must want something to lay it on that thick."

"Captain Beka Valentine, is it?" Olma said. "Forgive me. Perhaps I should explain. I have been…part of Tyr's household for almost two years now. On many occasions, he has spoken highly of all of you. And as to Seamus' point, I had to arrange this to get Captain Hunt's attention because there is no direct communications method I could use. It was the only way to do it under the circumstances. Now that I have contacted him, antagonizing him further would defeat my purpose."

"Well, you have my attention," Dylan said. "So, what do you want?"

"To make your life easier," Olma said. "You are currently and constantly fending off attacks from bounty hunters sent by Pish Tryan. After a considerable amount of arm twisting, I have managed to persuade him to consider revoking the bounty on you. But you would have to do something for us in exchange. And the good news for you is, an attempt in good faith that ends in failure will count, considering the task."

"And what would that be?" Dylan asked.

"Help us rescue Tyr from the Abyss' universe."

"What!?" Harper said. "Ok, let's see: help rescue Tyr or fight out of a hopeless situation. Hmm. Hopeless situation wins."

"I'm with Harper," Beka said.

"No," Trance said. "I think we should hear her out."

"Trance!" Beka said. "I have N-O desire to go back to the Route of Ages. Sorry, but going out in a blaze of glory would be preferable."

"My crew doesn't seem to like that idea, Olma, Would you happen to have another idea?"

"No…Dylan? Dylan. But you don't have to go back to the portal you visited previously."

"Where would we go?" Dylan asked.

"The Bajor system," Olma said.

"What?" Beka said. "That's a dead world. Unless you're talking about the wormhole. Rode it once and it is boar-iiiinnnng."

"No, Beka, I'm talking about something on Bajor itself. May I come aboard? It will be easier for me to explain." She paused. "And Dylan can take the opportunity to buy time while he comes up with a plan to get you all out of this fix if he decides to refuse my offer."

"Yes…I could," Dylan said.

"As I said," Olma said, "Tyr spoke very highly of you. I will be aboard presently."

"See you soon," Dylan said.


	10. Chapter 10

Rhade escorted Olma to the conference room, where Dylan, Beka, Harper and Trance didn't completely hide their skepticism.

"When Tyr contested with you over the Route of Ages," Olma said, "he realized there was a chance he would not survive. So he left messages behind for us. He addressed this one to you."

She tabbed a hand-held computer. Tyr's image appeared on the wall screen.

"Hello, Dylan," Tyr said pleasantly, as if betraying and leaving the *Andromeda* in the months before fighting his former shipmates to the death had had no more significance than meeting them for lunch. "If you are seeing this message, then you have won our latest altercation, and I am either dead, incapacitated, missing, or some other fate altogether, which is probably the most likely." His smile broadened. "Well done! My congratulations to you and whomever of the others have survived. But now you are facing the challenge of the Magog World Ship. I do not envy you this task. If Beka has not told you already, it is only months away, closer than we thought it would be by this time. If going to the Route of Ages has failed to stop it, it will now be up to you to find another way, and you do not need another problem at the same time. I am leaving instructions that my subordinates and allies are not to oppose you in this, and should even lend assistance if asked. As an added incentive, and a gesture of good will, I have instructed Olma to provide you with the location of the bones of Drago Mussevini." Tyr grinned. "It was never on Enge's Redoubt, did you know that? It wasn't even on *Andromeda!* The Dragon troopers stole a facsimile. I moved the genuine article a couple of years ago, when you and Beka were off after the Engine of Creation, and Harper had taken Rommie to a casino. The Ship doesn't remember that because I had her hide the memories of that journey in Harper's Adult Entertainment database, where she would not look too closely. You are probably wondering, 'Tyr, why are you giving me something I can use against you?'" Tyr counted on his fingers: "In the first place, no Nietzschean can be trusted with it, and no one knows that better than a Nietzschean." He paused. "Come on, Harper, say it."

Harper jumped. "All right, I agree with you! Rom Doll, is this really a recording?"

"Yes," Rommie said.

"That should have been long enough," Tyr said. "In the second place, Dylan, I know you will not use it gratuitously, and you will use it in such a way that my people would benefit from it. The welfare of the Nietzschean people is my greatest concern." Another pause. "Well, my one regret is I could not join you in this adventure. Best wishes to you. Fare well." The screen blanked.

"Well, yeah," Beka said, "you certainly followed Tyr's wishes to the letter, yes indeed. Let's see, Dylan on trial for treason, Commonwealth split down the middle, bounty hunters on our butts, yup, got it covered."

Olma didn't miss the dig but smiled away. "Pish has been difficult at best, recalcitrant at worst, and he does not always act in his own best interest. And as to his animosity towards you, Dylan, it took me this long to uncover the cause: He was close friends with Perseid Techincal Director Hohne."

"No way!" Harper said.

"Yes, 'way,'" Olma said. "They quarreled over the direction the Collectors should take and hadn't spoken in years, but from what I understand, Pish took it very hard when he learned Hohne had died here."

"Wonderful," Dylan groaned.

"Fortunately, the current chaos gave me some leverage," Olma said. "The fact is that you are not the only ones in the Commonwealth Pish antagonized. It should be obvious to anyone that weakening the Commonwealth, first by the Battle of Enge's Redoubt, and then the current civil war, is to no one's benefit in the face of the advancing Magog. Add to that the double-game the Collectors had been playing that was supposed to turn the tables on the Abyss but instead made things worse and you have a colossal mess that everyone blames Pish for. He's cost himself many allies; we're the only ones left who will talk to the man, and then, just barely. He can't turn to anyone else. It's allowed me to extract certain concessions."

"And we don't have to actually rescue Tyr," Beka said.

"He's probably lost forever," Olma said, "but if I report you gave it your best effort - especially if you don't get me killed during my visit - I may be able to smooth more ruffled feathers. I know that it doesn't sound like much, but it is better than the course you are on. And given that you did try to rescue Orca Pride, Dylan, I think I owe you something."

"I see," Dylan said. "Olma, could we have a moment to discuss this privately?"

"Certainly." The old matriarch left the room.

"Are we trying this?" Beka asked.

"First things first," Dylan said. "Rommie. Did Tyr really move the bones two years ago?"

"Accessing files." Rommie looked off at an angle, occasionally wincing. "Oh, yeah, Tyr hid it in the right place all right. Decompressing…Yes, although navigational and destination information are encrypted, along with anything else that could allow me to infer where we went. And even if we figured that out, we may still need information from Olma."

"Undoubtedly," Dylan said. "Tyr wouldn't make it that easy."

"So we're doing this," Beka said.

"We shouldn't," Rhade said. "Dylan it's as Tyr said: No Nietzschean can be trusted."

"Present company included?" Harper said.

Rhade ignored it. "Matriarchs do not just take on assignments like this. I guarantee she has an ulterior motive. I say no; we'd be better off taking our chances in the current standoff."

"No," Trance said. "Dylan, we have to do this. It's very important. The universe is at stake. Maybe two universes."

"Again," Beka groaned.

"Thank you for your input," Dylan said. "Now, please report to Command. I'll be along shortly."

"We're doing this," Beka sighed as she and the others got up to leave. But she held back as the others filed out of the room. When the door had closed, she turned back to her fellow captain and friend. "Dylan, can I have a minute?"

"Of course," Dylan said.

"You have to stop blaming yourself for what happened to Tyr."

"You think I'm blaming myself?"

"I know you are. You're asking yourself, 'Why didn't I see it coming? What could I have done to prevent it? How could I have missed it when it was right in front of me? Could I have handled the Route of Ages thing differently? Could I have found a way to save him?' Hey, it's perfectly understandable. But Dylan, some people can' be saved, not when it's from themselves. I learned that the hard way."

"I hear what you're saying, Beka, but Tyr was still an officer under my command. I was responsible for him, and to a certain extent, I still am."

"Maybe, but he made his choices, not you. Betraying us, leaving us, trying to kill us, those were his calls, not yours. He made his bed, and he has to lie in it…or die in it."

"Maybe. But maybe, even after all that, I'm not willing to give up on him just yet."

"Figured you'd say that, and I know I can't talk you out of this. I just…I just don't want you to be let down again. No one deserves that."

She turned to leave.

"Beka," Dylan said.

Beka paused on the threshold.

"Thanks for being a friend," he added.

Beka smiled. "No problem."

Out in the corridor, she found Olma waiting by a nearby intersection. "I thought I'd wait and join you following the others," the matriarch said. "I take it we're going?"

"Looks like it," Beka said as they started walking together.

"From what Tyr told me, he missed you and Master Harper the most."

"He should have thought of that before he left."

"Maybe he did."

Beka grunted and focused on the hall in front of her.

"He told me that Seamus was once solely responsible for the care of both the *Andromeda* and the *Maru,*" Olma went on. "I was a flight engineer when I was younger. I didn't believe it; I thought Tyr was pulling my leg. Was he?…Rebecca?"

"Huh?"

"Was Tyr pulling my leg about Harper taking care of both your ship and the *Andromeda?*"

"What? Oh, no, it was all him for, what, just about the first two-and-a-half years. Well, him and Andromeda together, but if you read between the lines, she credits him."

"Such as?"

"When they rebuilt Command after our run-in with the Magog World Ship. You'll see it when we get there. I hadn't seen it; I just knew Harper and Rommie wanted everyone out of Command for a few days. Had to fly the ship from the gunnery nose, which was not fun. So when they locked command, I thought, 'Oh, crap, Harper made a mess and taught Rommie how to cover for him.' Then Dylan saw it and he was speechless. Then Tyr saw it and he was even more incoherent."

"Really?" Olma smiled.

"Yeah," Beka chucked. "Then I saw it and my jaw practically scraped off the floor."

"Interesting. Does it run in his family? Being mechanically inclined, I mean."

"I don't know."

"What do you know about his family?"

"I think they're all dead. He had a cousin who lead a rebellion against the Drago-Kasov Pride, and he's probably gone."

"But Harper survived."

"I guess, if you can call that survival."

"Where did you meet him?"

"On Earth about seven years ago. My boyfriend…." Beka trailed off. "Wait a minute-what's going on?"

"Sorry?" Olma asked.

"All these questions about Harper."

"Oh, forgive me. Call it the curse of being a matriarch-you become a compulsive busybody who can't abide the sight of a male who has trouble attracting a mate. You're just not happy unless you get as many couples producing as many babies as possible."

"I don't think Harper's ready for kids."

"I think he'd be an excellent father. I have an instinct for these things."

"Yeah, but Harper's not a Nietzschean, Olma."

"True, Rebecca, but in a general sense, that's not the most important consideration. The drive to procreate is primordial regardless of whether one is born with built-in can openers, and you'd be surprised at the quality of females who might find him acceptable. Everyone has a match if they're willing to look for it. And if he's as talented as you imply, I'd hate to see that wasted because he didn't pass it on. That's just…that's just how a Nietzschean looks at it."

"And you're just being a Nietzschean busybody."

"Exactly. But you're right, Rebecca, enough about Harper. Let's talk about you. Why are you unmarried?"

"Um…"

"Have you not met any acceptable males?"

"Um…I think I'll run ahead and see if the guys need my help." Beka ran down the corridor.

"Thought so," Olma muttered as she continued at a more stately pace.


	11. Chapter 11

On the command deck, Dylan and the others watched as the Nietzschean fighters jumped to slipstream. Beka said, "You must trust us if you're letting your escort go."

"Of course," Olma said with a smile. "After all, you're not all Nietzscheans."

Harper smiled. "I'm starting to like her."

"Funny, Harper," Rommie said, "I thought you liked them younger."

Harper scowled at his favorite android. "You're gross, you know that?"

"Harper!" Trance said. "I'm older than Olma, and you've never had a problem with me." She smiled and lines appeared on her face; in seconds she looked like an old crone with a hooked nose. "Don't you still love me?"

"Sheesh," Harper groaned.

"Yes, um," Dylan said, "we can…discuss this another time." He paused. "Trance?"

"Huh?" Trance said.

Dylan arched his eyebrows.

"What? Oh." Trance's face returned to its normal young and beautiful appearance.

"Thank you," Dylan said. (Olma smiled.) Dylan turned to the old matriarch. "Olma, the floor is yours."

"Thank you, Dylan. I presume you all know about Bajor's Orb of Ages?"

"Yeah," Harper said, sounding less than excited. "Fell through the Bajoran wormhole a gazillion years ago. Weighs as much as three galaxies, can not be moved from where it's floating, probably made by the same race that made the wormhole for God knows what reason because you can slipstream between the ends quicker, and maybe-" Harper broke off, then he continued slower: "But some scholars think it's connected to the Route of Ages."

"Mmm-hmmm," Olma said.

"But it doesn't do anything!" Beka said. "I took Harper to Bajor after he signed on, back when some Nightsiders tried to make it and the wormhole into a tourist attraction. The orb looks and feels like a lump of rock. Just one floating three feet off the ground; anyone with a couple of AG generators can fake that, and most people thought that's what it was, wormhole or no wormhole. Not surprisingly, that Nightsider operation went belly up a few months later."

"The Collectors began to periodically study the orb," Olma said, "and found it about as interesting. Until a month ago. Then it began putting out radio signals. I'm sure you will recognize them." She tabbed a console, and Data appeared on one of the big main screens.

Rommie said, "That's the data from the medical nanobots that were injected into my crew, including Tyr. The time stamp…Dylan, this data was received after we went through the route of ages."

"The signal periodically repeats itself," Olma explained. "It's believed it's a leaked signal that got caught in some sort of loop. The collectors just started analyzing that when another signal started repeating itself." Another tab of the console. One of the screen images split itself between images of Dylan and Tyr.

"The map is all I want," Tyr started.

"I remember this conversation," Dylan said. "There's nothing new here."

"And it could have been recorded by a drone at the time," Rhade said.

"Yeah," Beka said, "what's the news here?"

"Wait for it," Olma said.

"Not angry," Tyr said on the screen. Then his side blanked. Andromeda took his place as she informed Dylan the *Maru* had gone out of control. Then he left the room and his window blanked.

Then Andromeda looked around. "Who's there?" she said. "Who's listening to this? I am the Commonwealth starship *Andromeda Ascendant* under the command of Captain Dylan Hunt. Identify yourself." She waited. "Signal lost. Source: Route of Ages. Lovely. I have *got* to get dry dock time when all this is over. And some place nice, not one run by Harper's 'buds.'" She left the screen.

"Rommie?" Dylan said. "Did that last part happen?"

"Yeah!" Harper protested. "I thought you liked the docks I got you into."

Dylan scowled at him, then turned back to android. "What did you pick up?" he asked.

"I thought someone was hailing me on my internal wireless network frequency," she said, "but the message was too garbled to make any sense of it. All I could pick out was reference to something called the United Federation of Planets. And I also thought…I thought I could feel a computer system based on multi-tronic technology."

"Multi-tronics?" Harper said. "That's a technological dead end! They couldn't get that crap to work in the Old Commonwealth."

"Not in our universe," Trance said, "but in another it might have worked."

"I didn't mention it at the time because I didn't think it was relevant to the crisis," Rommie said. "Subsequent events lead me to file it and forget it. So if the orb is emitting a signal with my transmission on it, it's genuine."

"And related to something thousands of lights years from here," Dylan mused.

"Those things alone convinced Pish it deserved further investigation," Olma explained, "and I was able to persuade him that having you investigate a low priority matter might help him gain confidence in your abilities, regardless of whether Tyr was rescued. So it was agreed I would…find a way to contact you. Then, an hour before you showed up, a courier arrived with news of new developments. First, this started happening today." She tabbed a console and an image of an ebony sphere appeared on the screen, floating a meter above some rocks inside a tent. But what got there attention was what seemed to be floating inside it: The nested cubes of the Route of Ages.

"Ok," Dylan said. "What was the other thing?"

"A new set of signals," Olma said, "the transmissions of Tyr's High Guard medical nanobots. The signals appear to be getting stronger, as if he's getting closer."

"You mean he's alive and well?" Harper said. "Oh, damn, and the day was going so well."

"Looks like we still have business with Mr. Anasazi," Dylan said. "Beka?"

Beka started programming the flight controls; the slipstream backrest came up behind her. "Bajor, here we come."

"Yeah," Harper said. "And Rommie? What was that about my buds? I thought you liked Tye's shipyard."

Rommie opened her mouth, then rethought what to say: "We'll talk about it later."

"Damn straight we will," Harper harrumphed.

Rommie cast a sideways pleading look at Beka.

Beka grinned. "Sorry, girlfriend, but you are on your own on that one." And she jumped the *Andromeda* into slipstream.


	12. Chapter 12

The *Rio Grande's* flight to Bajor was uneventful, but on entering orbit, they found they couldn't get transporter lock to the monastery. They contacted the abbot and he reported their transporters weren't working.

"We'll just have to fly in and land," Sikso said. "Major-"

"Captain," Guinan interrupted, "I think we should land on the north side."

"Why?" Sisko asked.

"Just a feeling."

Worf looked at Guinan, then turned to Sisko. "I think we should follow her recommendation."

"Very well," Sisko said. "Major, north side."

"Aye." Kyra programmed the flight controls.

Guinan smiled. "I'll learn ya," she said softly.

After brief greetings with the abbot, Sisko, Worf, Kyra, Dax, Bashir, and Guinan followed Traejen into the central chamber of the monastery. The orb was one meter wide and floating one meter above a stone platform, the orange tesseract image twisting inside it. Ornate stone pillars and stained glass windows counter pointed the consoles operated by monks, monitoring instruments surrounding the orb.

"The altar was carved from stone under the orb," Traejen explained. "Everything else was built around it."

"Dax?" Sisko said.

Dax cautiously approached the orb with her tricorder. "We're getting those signals," Dax reported. She frowned. "Tyr's life signs aren't as steady as they were in the first contact - I think he's been injured. And from the dopler shift, it's as if he's approaching at Mach 5-" She broke off. "Wait a minute-Benjamin-"

Guinan said, "Captain, we're not alone…"


	13. Chapter 13

The flight to Bajor was uneventful. Dylan left Harper and Rhade in orbit aboard the *Andromeda* and had Beka, Trance, Rommie, and Olma accompany him to the surface in the *Maru.* Although it had a breathable atmosphere, Bajor was largely desert. The complex of tents and prefab buildings surrounding the orb was near one of the few bodies of water on the planet.

"The collectors believe Bajor was once a thriving world with a humanoid race," Olma explained as the makeshift complex came into sight, "but all of that changed when the Orb of Ages appeared."

"So this thing could be a planet-killer," Beka said. "Would have been nice to know that up front."

"You restored the Commonwealth," Olma replied, "and survived the Magog World Ship. One would think the Orb of Ages wouldn't be that much of a challenge."

Trance said, "Dylan, I think we should land on the south side."

"Why?" Dylan asked.

"Just a feeling."

Dylan frowned. "Ok. Beka, you heard the lady."

"South side it is." Beka steered her ship towards a landing.

After Olma talked with the head of the collectors, she lead Dylan and the others into the central tent. The orb was one meter wide and floating one meter above a flat rock, the orange pattern of the Route of Ages twisting inside it. Collectors in blue lab coats manned consoles near the Orb, monitoring instruments surrounding it.

"Rommie?" Dylan prompted.

Rommie cautiously approached the orb and extended her hand. "I'm picking Tyr's High Guard nanobots," she said. "They're indicating injury. It may be that for him only a few seconds have passed since-" She broke off. "Dylan-"

"Dylan?" Trance said. "We're not alone."


	14. Chapter 14

"What do you mean?" Sisko asked Guinan.

"Someone else is here," Guinan said. "A group of people."

Sisko looked around. It him: "From the other universe?" he said.

Bashir said, "Captain Hunt and his crew?"

"Maybe," Dax said, focusing on her tricorder. "Benjamin, I'm picking up something else on the same frequency, another data stream."

Traejen looked over her shoulder. "It's the same one we picked up," Traejen said.

Dax grinned. "Ben, I think the *Andromeda's* crew is here - here in the other universe - to rescue Tyr Anasazi!"

"They are better than he deserves," Worf growled.

Sisko looked around. If the boundaries between universes were breaking down …

"Guinan," Sisko said, "where, exactly are these people?"

"Interspersed with us," Guinan said.

"Probably not a good arrangement if people start coming through," Sisko mused. "Let's give them some room. Everyone to the north side of the room."


	15. Chapter 15

"What do you mean, Trance?" Dylan asked.

"There are other people here," Trance explained, "where we are … but not here. In the other universe."

"She may be right, Dylan," Rommie said. "I was about to say I'm picking up the same multi-tronic technology I felt at the Route of Ages."

Dylan looked around. "Trance, where exactly are they?"

"Mingling with us," Trance said.

"Probably not a good idea," Dylan said, "if the barriers between realities are breaking down. Let's give them some room. Everybody to the south side of the room."


	16. Chapter 16

"Dax," Sisko said as his crew members and monks rearranged themselves in the north half of the room, "do you think you can access that data stream?"

"I have a better idea," Dax said as she crossed to a console. "Traejen, do you have a copy of the *Andromeda's* I/O protocols?"

"Yes." Traejen stood next to her and tabbed the console. The Commonwealth symbol appeared in the center of a screen.

"Ok," Dax said. "Opening a channel on this frequency." She turned to Sisko. "If I'm right, Andromeda will access us."

Kyra arched her eyebrows. "It's times like this I wonder if the prophets are a little nuts."

"Proceed with caution, Old Man," Sisko advised. "We don't know the whole story behind these people. If they turn out to be hostile, you'll have to pull the plug."

"Understood," Dax said…a little reluctantly. Then she turned back to the screen. "Come on," she implored softly, "be as smart as I think you are…"


	17. Chapter 17

Rommie stiffened her back. "Well, this is getting weird."

"'Getting'?" Beka said.

"What is it, Rommie?" Dylan asked.

"That system I felt, it now has a copy of my I/O protocols. I think I can access it."

Beka arched her eyebrows. "Ok, it's getting weirder."

"Use caution, Rommie," Dylan said. "If you feel threatened, break contact."

"Understood." Rommie closed here eyes.


	18. Chapter 18

The screen flickered and the Commonwealth symbol was surrounded by a menu. An option selected itself and the menu was replaced a backdrop that looked like a corridor of files. A face built up in it. Dax recognized the face she had seen earlier, but the uniform was different and a red streak ran through the black hair.

"Andromeda?" Dax blurted.

"Yes," Andromeda replied, a little warily. "Identify yourself."

Dax couldn't keep schoolgirl enthusiasm out of her voice. "My name is Jadzia Dax. I'm…I'm contacting you from another universe! We picked up some of your signals from the Orb of Ages."

"I see," Andromeda said. She seemed to weigh Dax, and decided to open up a little. "Strictly speaking, I am Andromeda Ascendant The Ship Made Flesh. You may call me Rommie."

"The ship made…" Dax said. "You're an avatar!?" She turned to Sisko. "Benjamin, this is incredible! Some computer scientists hypothesize a sentient A. I. could install itself on multiple platforms within a ship's network, everything from a ship's mainframe to nanites to, yes, androids which would be avatars of the central intelligence. The hypothesis is very controversial and no one is sure that it would work. But the other universe cracked it, Benjamin! They figured out how to build avatars, and we're talking to one! This is-"

"Dax," Sisko said.

"Hmmm?"

"I don't mean to put a damper on your enthusiasm," Sisko said, "but do you think you and…Rommie could arrange for me to speak to her commanding officer?"

"What?" Dax had to remember why she was there. "Oh, yes. Of course. Rommie…?"

"I'm already working on it, Jadzia."

"Of course you are."

Rommie rolled her eyes.


	19. Chapter 19

Rommie opened her eyes. "Dylan, I've made contact."

"Do they seem hostile?" Dylan asked.

Beka asked, "Do they have black things coming out of their heads?"

"In reverse order," Rommie said, "I've seen no indication of the tunnel aliens, so this is probably not the universe they came from. As to intent, they seem to be about as hostile as Captain Metis and his crew were when we met them."

"Understood," Dylan said.

"I'm putting the final touches on a link that will let you speak to them." Rommie closed her eyes for a moment. "There." She crossed to a console with a large screen and tabbed in a code, then stood aside.

Everyone bunched up behind Dylan to see the people on the screen: A bald black man with a beard and an equally motley crew behind him. No, not quite as motley: Almost all of them wore uniforms, and most reminded of Dylan of the uniforms the *Belleraphon's* crew had worn. The exception was a red-haired woman with a clip on one ear and some kind of ridge on her nose; her uniform was solid red with different insignia. And the dark-skinned man with ridges on his forehead had a very Tyr-like Glower. A dark skinned woman with a broad-brimmed hat peeked out from behind Head Ridges, but her penetrating glance reminded him of Trance.

Dylan said, "I'm Captain Dylan Hunt of the Commonwealth Starship *Andromeda Ascendant.*" He started to indicate the others. "This is my first officer, Captain Beka Valentine. My medical officer, Trance Gemini. You've already contacted Rommie; she's my ship's avatar-" (a woman with spots on her face hissed "Yes!") "- and this is…Olma Rajput. She's…a visiting dignitary."

"Pleased to meet you all," the black man said. "I'm Captain Benjamin Sisko, commander of the Federation Space Station Deep Space Nine, representing the United Federation of Planets." He indicated people in his group: "This is my XO, Major Kyra Nyres. My medical officer, Dr. Julian Bashir. My strategic operations officer, Commander Worf. Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax initiated contact. And this is…Guinan. She's…another dignitary." Sisko turned to face Dylan. "Captain. Scientists on our side picked up signal leakage from a confrontation between you and…we believe he is a former crew member, a Tyr Anasazi."

"Yes," Dylan said, "but that happened six months ago."

"Indeed," Sisko went on. "In any case, we have picked up a new set of signals from Mr. Anasazi. We believe he is going to emerge into our universe."

"What?" Dylan half-glanced behind him "Rommie?"

Rommie darted around the console and came a couple of meters closer to the orb. She looked back at Dylan. "Still getting signals from his nanobots. He's still 'approaching;' if anything, he seems to have slowed down to below the speed of sound."

"Dax?" Sisko said on his side.

Dax stepped out of the frame, intent on some instrumentation in her hand. Her voice came over the mike: "Readings are the same as they were, Benjamin. He still seems to be 'approaching' us, and like Rommie indicated, he's going below the speed of sound."

"Towards both universes?" Kyra said. "What, is this guy going to end up with one foot in both?"

"Yeah," Beka said. "Who's running this gig, Solomon?"

"Is that a religious reference?" Kyra asked sweetly.

Beka smiled at the screen image. "Yes, it is."

Kyra's smile didn't waver. "So, I guess in your universe, they have religious books in hotel rooms?"

"Major!" Sisko snapped.

"No, it's ok," Beka said pleasantly. "Why yes, Major Kyra, they do, although *some* of us have something better to do than read the Bible when they're in a hotel. Of course, you have to know what to-"

"Beka!" Dylan barked.

"She started it!" Beka protested.

"And give me a chance, and I'll finish it," Kyra growled.

"Oh, yeah, Sweet Pea?" Beka shot back. (Dylan and Sisko cursed under their breaths.) "You and what-"

A loud rumbling sounded out of the orb; it began to glow orange, the tesseract inside it turning white and twisting faster. A wave of orange energy pulsed out of it, and Dylan and the others could briefly see Sisko and his party clustered around a console on the other side of the room. Then the Federation group and their equipment vanished.

"Hoh-kaaayyy," Beka said.

"Heee-yeah," Kyra echoed.

"Captain Hunt!" Sisko called. "Are you and your party ok?"

"Yes," Dylan answered. "How are things are your side?"

"No signs of-" Sisko broke off, looking off camera. "Mr. Worf?" he said. "What's wrong?"


	20. Chapter 20

"I don't-" Worf started and staggered towards the orb. Or was he being dragged by something invisible? Then he stumbled and something dragged him forward. Another orange flash and Dylan and his crew appeared and vanished again.


	21. Chapter 21

Rommie moaned and rubber her temple.

"Rommie?" Trance asked. "Are you all right?"

"Maybe some of that other universe's physics are leaking through," Rommie said. "I'm getting a headache and having a little trouble focusing."

Trance put a hand on Rommie's shoulder. "Better?"

"Yes."

"Good, stay close to me."

Rommie nodded. "Dylan, Tyr's velocity is at zero. He's in the room with us."


	22. Chapter 22

Dax consulted her tricorder. "I'm showing the same thing, Rom-"

The orb blazed brighter and started to hum loudly, orange lightning flashing around them. As the room around them became fuzzy, seemed to be made of mist - were they in a temple or under a tent? - Dylan's crew appeared and became more solid.

Dylan extended his arms. "Everyone-hold your positions!"

"You heard the man-" Sisko started.

Worf rose off the floor, floating three meters in front of the orb.

"Worf!" Dax called.

A silhouette vibrated into existence in front of Worf: the three dimensional shadow of a man became flesh and blood, Tyr Anasazi.

"Rommie-" Dylan started.

Orange lightning flashed out of the orb and engulfed Tyr and Worf, then spread to either side of them and wrapped itself around invisible female forms. Tyr and Worf thrashed.

Then there was a loud BANG! And Sisko and the others were knocked off their feet; a hot wind blew over them and subsided.

Sisko turned back to the orb. It had turned black again, a white tesseract twisting inside it; the hum had stopped. Tyr lay face down on the floor in front of the orb, a blonde woman crouching next to him. Sisko wondered at the bands on her wrists; were the spikes sticking out of the bejeweled gauntlets or part of her?

"Tyr?" she said. "Is that-" She pulled her hand away from his back and stared at the blood on it.

Tyr tried pushed himself up and looked at the woman, his eyes wide. "Freya?" he said. "No, you can't be…" He sagged.


	23. Chapter 23

"Everyone ok?" Dylan said. "Rommie?"

"I'm ok, Dylan," she said. "I feel better…"

"Ok…" Dylan trailed off.

Worf shook his head as he started to climb up from the floor, a dark-haired woman next to him. She had forehead ridges like Worf, but they were softer, not as pronounced.

"Worf?" she said. "Is that really you?"

Worf turned to her "K'Eleyr?" He looked like he'd seen a ghost. "But…how can this be?"

Dylan took a step forward. "Mr. Worf?" he said cautiously.

Worf turned to Dylan. "Captain Hunt." He looked towards the other side of the room. "What has happened?"

"We're going to figure this out," Dylan said, "and get you and…your friend home."

"This is K'Eleyer," Worf said. "She is my mate, but….she has been dead for years."

"News to me," K'Eyleyr quipped.


	24. Chapter 24

Bashir crept closer to Tyr and Freya, but she adopted a fighting stance, the spikes in her arms twitching to full extension as she drew a knife from her belt.

"Keep back!" she ordered.

Bashir halted. "I'm a doctor," he said. "I can help him."

Freya's eyes flicked between Bashir and Tyr. Then she backed up. "All right. But at the first sign of treachery, I will kill you."

Bashir crouched by Tyr and passed a scanner over his back.

"No one is killing anyone," Sisko said. "We're glad to help, but-"

"Captain Sisko," Dylan's voice called from a nearby console. "How are you doing-"

"Dylan?" Freya called. She ran past Sisko to the console. Dylan and Beka were in the monitor, under some kind of tent near another orb, with a man and a woman with brow ridges behind them. Sisko and Kyra came around up behind Freya.

"Where am I?" Freya demanded. "How did I get here? What's going on?"

"Who are you?" Dylan asked.

"You know bloody well who I am!" Freya snapped. "Beka, surely you must know me."

"No," Beka said.

"She appeared next to Tyr," Sisko said. "He said herr name is Freya."

"Freya?" Olma poked around Dylan and Beka. She gasped.

"Olma, will you…" Freya started.

Olma darted away from the camera.

"Mother Olma!" Freya called.

"Captain," Sisko said, "do you know this woman?"

"I know of her.." Dylan said, "but we never actually met. She died a couple of years ago."

"What!?" Freya yelped.

"And she's not the only one," Beka said. She indicated the dark-haired woman with Worf. "Say hello to K'Elyer," Beka said. "She also just came back from the dead."

Kyra ran her fingers through her hair. "We're seeing dead people?" she said.

"Benjamin, things are more scrambled than I thought," Dax said. "We're not only dealing with two universes but alternate versions of both."

"How do we stop it?" Sisko asked.

"Benjamin, I don't even know what started it."

Bashir came over to Sisko. "Tyr's been shot," Bashir said. "There's some sort of bullet in his chest very close to his heart. I've stabilized him and stopped the bleeding, but he needs surgery. I need to get him back to the infirmary immediately."

"Captain Hunt, did you hear that?"

"Yes, Captain Sisko. Be advised that Tyr Anasazi is extremely dangerous. Use extreme caution."

"Understood. Dax, if the orb is connected to the wormhole, will we be able to resume contact with Captain Hunt from the station?"

"Maybe," Dax said.

Sisko turned to the screen. "Captain, our station is at one of the L1 Lagrange point between the wormhole and Bajor's star. We'll take Tyr and Freya back there; hopefully we'll regain contact there."

"Understood," Dylan said. "Hunt out." The screen blanked.


	25. Chapter 25

"Rommie," Dylan said, "will you please show Mr. Worf and K'Eyleyr to the *Maru?*"

"This way," Rommie said, and lead them out of the tent. Olma followed them.

Dylan realized he had Beka's attention. "What is it, Beka?"

Beka sighed. "Just when I thought I had you decontaminated, you had to find someone who speaks military-ese. And I worked so hard."

Trance put an arm around Beka's shoulder. "I'm sure it's just a temporary relapse, Beka."

"I know, Trance," Beka said as they walked past Dylan, "but he made so much progress."

"It'll be all right, Beka, I promise…"

"Ok," Dylans muttered as he started to follow them, "I guess things aren't too crazy then."


	26. Chapter 26

Once they got back to the *Andromeda,* Beka would not shut up about Major Kyra.

"…seen her type before, they're everywhere," Beka ranted as she, Dylan, and Rommie came onto the Command Deck. (Rhade and Harper had agreed to show Olma around the ship, and Dylan cursed himself for not thinking of that excuse sooner.) "So uptight, so religious and judgmental-"

"Beka," Dylan said, "I don't want to be rude, but could you please take us out of orbit and set a course for the wormhole?"

"I'm on it, I'm on it," Beka said as her fingers danced on the flight controls. They heard the engines power up. "There. But like I was saying, so judgmental, as if showing one square centimeter of skin below the neck is a mortal sin. But you know, you just have to know-"

"Know what?" Dylan said. "I think I'll go to medical and see how our guests are doing." He turned to leave.

"Do you want me with you, Dylan?" Rommie pleaded.

Dylan paused on the threshold and turned back to the android. "Unfortunately," he said apologetically, "someone has to stay here to be ready if our Federation friends try to contact us. Sorry, Rommie."

"Understood."

Beka leaned against her station, watched Dylan leave, then shook her head. "Whatever." Then she turned to Rommie. The poor android had no choice but to listen. "Oh, where was I?" Beka said. "Oh yeah - you just have to know…"


	27. Chapter 27

Worf sat patiently on the bed in medical as Trance passed a scanner over him. K'Elyr stood nearby, her nose in a flexie.

Trance put her scanner down and sighed. "How do you feel?" she asked.

"Good," Worf answered.

"Good," Trance said, "because I have never seen anything like you before, so I have no baseline to judge your condition by. You could be in perfect health or terminally ill for all I know."

"I passed my last physical with flying colors."

"How long ago was that?"

"Two months ago."

"Good. Then I'm not too worried about you, although I'm concerned about the operation of some internal organs I've never seen." She picked up a hypo and turned to K'Elyr. "As for you-"

K'Elyr looked up. "Hmm?"

"Roll up your sleeve, please."

K'Elyr obeyed. "What's that?" she asked.

"Nanobots," Trance said. "In our universe, inter-species breeding isn't possible, but it is in yours. So the question is will your DNA hold together or unravel while you're here, and unraveling would be bad. These will monitor your condition and alert me if anything starts to go wrong."

"Oh, ok."

Trance gave her the shot. "There." She picked up a hand-held. "The nanobots are transmitting, and so far, everything looks ok. But I want both of you to alert me if you feel odd." She turned to Worf. "I mean *anything,* Worf. I know stoic warrior-types like you will shrug off any pain or discomfort, but in this case, you can't afford to."

Worf smiled. "I will follow your instructions…Doctor Gemini."

Trance smiled. "Good! If only all my patients were so agreeable. And it's just 'Trance.'"

The door slid open and Dylan entered.

Worf stood up and got to attention. "Captain," he said.

"As you were," Dylan said.

Worf sat down.

Dylan smirked. "Damn," he said, "it has been a while."

K'Elyr chucked. "He's not even from our universe, much less your superior."

"He should still get the respect he's due," Worf said.

Dylan arched his eyebrows. "If only I had more like you on this side," he said. "Trance? How are our friends doing?"

"Ok, as far as I can tell," Trance said. "Worf has some bruises but that's no big deal. My biggest worry is K'Elyr's hybrid DNA. I've injected her with nanobots to monitor it in case it starts to unravel in our universe. So far, no problems."

"Then I guess the next question is how you got here," Dylan said. "Especially you, K'Elyr. Apparently, you're supposed to be dead."

"And never having seen you before," Trance added pleasantly, "we can't tell if you're the genuine article."

K'Elyr nodded. "Well, Worf and I pretty much know when realities diverged, but it'll take a little explaining."

"We have time," Dylan said.

"Ok," K'Elyr said. "When Tyr was a child, his family visited a Klingon outpost named Khitomer. His father suspected someone of plotting with another species, the Romulans, and followed the trail there. While the family was there, the outpost was attacked and destroyed by the Romulans. Worf was orphaned in the attack, but he was rescued by a Federation starship that responded to the outpost's distress signal. Worf was adopted by one of the crew and raised in the Federation. That's how he ended up in Starfleet."

"Huh," Dylan said. "Sorry, but Tyr was also orphaned by an enemy attack. He pretty much had to fend for himself, though. In any event, from the sound of things, I'm guessing that Worf's father's suspicions were correct."

"Yes," K'Elyr said. "Someone transmitted the access codes to Romulan patrol ships, allowing them to remotely deactivate the outpost's…defenses. But no one knew who had done it. Twenty years later, long after Worf had joined Starfleet, the Klingon High Council discovered from a captured Romulan ship who had betrayed them: Ja'Rod, Worf's father's rival, whose family had survived the massacre and whose son, Duras, was a member of the high council."

"Ouch," Dylan said.

"As the son of a traitor," Worf said, "Duras could have been executed for his father's crimes, but the council feared that would split the empire. So they declared my father a traitor to the empire."

"By then, Worf was serving aboard the *Enterprise,*" K'Elyr added. "The council figured that Worf wouldn't find out about the charges against his father, and it wouldn't affect his life in the Federation anyway, so the matter would be quietly buried. They didn't reckon Worf had a younger brother. He'd been raised in secret by another family."

"As the elder brother," Worf said, "I had a duty to challenge the charges against my father."

"Worf and Captain Picard uncovered the truth," K'Elyr said, "but the council wouldn't budge." She smiled sardonically. "One family's honor wasn't worth a civil war."

"For the sake of the empire and my brother," Worf said, "I accepted dis-commodation."

"He was ostracized by his own people," K'Elyr said, "not even his own brother could talk to him, and he and Captain Picard were sworn to secrecy over it. Jump ahead a year later, and Duras was a candidate to succeed the Supreme Chancellor, who had been poisoned. Captain Picard was called in to arbitrate it because, ironically enough for all their talk about honor, no Klingon could be trusted. I was there, too, and I learned pretty quickly something was up. But no one was talking to me about it."

"K'Elyr learned what had happened, and confronted Duras," Worf said, "and…in my reality, he killed her. I claimed my right of vengeance, fought Duras, and killed him. Gowron, the other candidate, became chancellor."

"Well…" K'Elyr said, "…that's where things went…differently for me. When I confronted Duras, he came at me. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in sickbay." K'Elyr's voice started to shake: "Dr. Crusher was…I could tell she was upset about something, but no one told me why. Then Captain Picard came in, and I'll never forget his words: 'K'Elyr, I'm sorry, I regret to inform you Lt. Worf is dead.'" A tear flowed down her cheek. "You had gone to fight Duras, and he had won." Her eyes glittered. "But I got him, Worf. Picard and I took that bastard down. And Gowron became chancellor."

"Very interesting," Dylan said. "But I'm more interested in how you got here. Because it looks like you jumped the tracks of two universes and brought Mr. Worf here along for the ride. Do you know what happened?"

"No, I…." K'Elyr hesitated. "I'm sorry, Captain. One minute I was aboard DS9 - I'd been assigned there to help Captain Sisko deal with the Klingons - long story, again - and the next, I was in that place with Worf." She took one of Worf's hands in both of hers. "Being together again….that's all that matters to me now. And our son will have both his parents."

"Alexander saw your body," Worf said.

"If he knows anything about the *Enterprise's* missions, he'll get used to it." She kissed Worf. "Everything else can take care of itself." She turned back to Dylan. "I'm sorry, Captain. If I could provide more information, I would."

"I am sure Captain Sisko will help unravel the mystery," Worf said. "There is no cause for concern."

Dylan thought for a minute. "All right," he said, "fine. Then the only question is whether my medical officer is ready to release you."

Trance spread her hands. "They're both fine as far as I can see."

Dylan said, "In that case, Trance, will you escort our friends to Command? I'll be along shortly."

"Of course. This way, please."

After Trance had lead the two Klingons out of the room, Dylan said to the air in front of him, "What do you think?"

Andromeda's hologram appeared in front of him. "Well, unless Worf is a complete sociopath, he's the very model of a military officer. I don't think he can conceive of being treacherous, much less do it. It begs the question of how Tyr would have turned out if he had been raised in the Commonwealth."

"Yes, it does," Dylan said. "And K'Elyr?"

"Definitely hiding something. She knows more than she's telling about what's happened."

"Uh-huh. And what really bothers me is how Mr. Worf will take it when he finds out. Let's hope things don't get any worse."

"It would be nice if that happened for a change, wouldn't it?"


	28. Chapter 28

"I feel like I'm going to have a stroke," Olma said as she poked around the work bench in Harper's machine shop. Rhade watched from the door as Harper busied himself repairing a component on a counter.

"It is a bit of a mess," Rhade lamented.

Olma smirked at him. "Oh, please. You were no better as a boy, and you know it." She turned to Harper: "Don't let him give you a hard time, Seamus. There isn't a Nietzschean boy's room that doesn't look like this. Trust me. Especially on asteroids or drifts - they're all thruster heads, even after they discover girls."

Rhade grumbled. "I was undisciplined then."

Harper chuckled.

"No," Olma said, "I was referring to K'Elyr's hybrid DNA. The very idea-" She broke off and pulled a small box from the folds of her gown. "Excuse me, but would you boys mind if I scanned your DNA? I just need to see a bit of normalcy."

Rhade shrugged and rolled up his sleeve.

Olma passed the box over his hand. It beeped and she read the small screen. "What I figured. Your turn, Seamus."

Harper rolled up his sleeve and noticed the scanner as she passed it over his arm. "Never saw that model DNA sniffer before," he said.

"I made it myself years ago," Olma said.

"Really?"

"Really. Any matriarch worth her salt makes, maintains, and zealously guards her own equipment. A genetic scan is usually the last hurdle between a Nietzschean male itching to mate and another wife, so you can see why-" The box beeped. She read the screen and whistled. "Wow! You really are a purebred human - no trace of any engineering."

"You expected otherwise?" Harper said.

"Well, Tyr said you bragged about being a purebred, but most everybody has some trace of some engineering. Your family had to stay pure for several generations to have bread anything out."

"Yep." Harper paused. "So Tyr Anasleezy say anything else about me?"

"Many good things. According to him, you're a pain in the neck, but you are loyal, trustworthy when it counts, and the best engineer he ever saw. He was impressed with you creativity and skill. Let me see….he mentioned one invention I found interesting. He called it a 'shriller.'"

"Yeah, I think I have a couple." Harper started looking through drawers.

Andromeda's hologram appeared. "Harper?" She pointed at a wall cabinet.

"I was going to look there next," Harper said. The holo vanished has he opened the cabinet and fished out a shriller. "Here ya go." He handed Olma the tiny gadget.

She began to fiddle with it. "How do you-" It emitted a high screech, barely loud enough to bother Harper, but both Nietzscheans grabbed their ears; Olma dropped the shriller.

Harper picked it up and turned it off. "My day is complete," he grinned.

Rhade growled.

"Wow!" Olma said. "That would be effective." She gingerly took it from Harper and examined it. "Ah, I see the controls. And you engraved your initials on it. May I keep this? I have a thing for concealable, unorthodox weapons."

"Really?" Harper said.

"Yes," Olma said. "They come in very handy, especially if one is underestimated." She wrapped her arms around herself; her bone blades tucked down against her arms. "Please don't hurt me, kind sir," she said in a pleading voice. "I'm just a little old widow woman."

Harper laughed. "That is good. Almost got me."

"Sometimes guile is more valuable than brute force; never be afraid to play to your strengths. The key is to be honest with yourself about what they really are." She took another look at the shriller. "Tyr said you made these when you were a boy, to harass the Dragon's Boston Garrison."

"Yeah, me, my cousin Brendan, and our buddy Isaac. He was killed when the Nietzscheans sent a whole platoon after us."

"Do you know why the Dragons came down on you so hard, Seamus?"

"Other than being general scum bags? No offense, Olma."

"Why should I be offended, Lad? Compared to what Nietzscheans say about the Drago Kasov, you were being kind. But no, there is a specific reason. You remember who commanded the garrison at the time?"

"Kinda sorta. Some Slavic name."

"Well, he was a most unpleasant man by any standard. His idea of entertainment was to have humans publicly hung, drawn, and quartered. Not my idea of a good time, and he may have been aroused by it."

Harper grimaced. "Yeah, I heard some strange stories about him."

"And you heard what was fit for human consumption, in more ways than one," Olma said. "In any case, the night of your first attack, the commandant was hosting some V. I. P.'s - the newest fleet marshal was touring the major slave worlds in the Drago Kasov empire. As I understand it, Boston's garrison was also the command post for Nietzschean forces in that quadrant of North America and the North Atlantic as far as Greenland."

"Yep," Harper said.

"So, they had just finished eating at a state dinner in the marshal's honor," Olma went on, "and the commandant was giving a speech, bragging about his accomplishments and how they had managed to suppress human rebellions when one of your shrillers went off right outside his window."

Harper laughed. "You serious?" he managed.

Olma nodded.

"I think I set that one off," Harper went on. "Whoo wee….I remember there was a lot of commotion, but I didn't think anymore of it."

"Oh, there was more than commotion, Seamus - he put the whole planet on high alert! Went on and on how this had to be the lead unit on an attack on the Drago Kasov pride. So he had his soldiers lay in wait for another attack, and when it happened, they pounced. And what did they find? A human boy-your friend. And when they took his shriller apart, they discovered it had been made with parts stolen - or reported stolen - from human-owned electronics shops."

Harper couldn't stop laughing. "I didn't know that. I shouldn't…I mean, it wasn't funny when Isaac was killed….but maaaaannnn…."

Rhade said, "I gather the commandant was executed?"

"No, commander," Olma answered, "worse: he was reassigned to the north polar ice cap. On Mars."

Harper laughed again. "Man…knowing that is worth it. Thanks. Anything else I can do for you?" He sounded genuinely friendly, no lewdness at all.

"Just one question," Olma said. "Your name, Harper. It's Gaelic in origin, isn't it?"

"Old Earth Irish," Harper said. "Boston has always had a huge Irish community, going all the way back to its founding, thousands of years ago."

"There are humans of Irish descent on Nua Eireann as well. Would you have any relatives there?"

"Nua Eireann?" Harper asked, surprised. He turned testy: "Uh, no, sorry, no relations off Earth."

"Are you sure?" Olma asked.

"Yes!" Harper snapped. He calmed down. "I'm sorry, Olma, but I have a lot of work to do."

"Of course. I won't keep you any longer."

After Olma and Rhade had left, Harper paced his cage in the middle of the room. Then he picked up a small part and hurled it against the wall.

Andromeda's hologram appeared. "Harper-?"

"Not now!" Harper snapped. "Sorry. I need some space. Just a few minutes."

"Privacy mode again," the hologram said, not hiding her puzzlement over her engineer's attitude. But she still vanished.


	29. Chapter 29

"So, Nietzschean to Nietzschean, are you going to tell me what's going on?" Rhade asked Olma as they walked down the corridor.

"Excuse me?" Olma asked.

"All the attention to Harper. Beka told me about the questions you asked about him And then the DNA scan. What's really going on?"

They stopped walking.

"I can see there's no fooling you, Commander," Olma said, "so I might as well tell you. The Council of Martriatch's bylaws insist that a Matriarch know all the relevant information about any males who might breed with a Nietzschean female, no matter how unlikely it is. I already have a huge file on Dylan - who doesn't? - and knowing you are from Terra Zed is enough, but Seamus is an unknown. I just wanted to record as much as I can."

"Of an unengineered human? Seems unnecessary. Harper has…difficulty attracting females, I'm sorry to say, and even if he didn't, I doubt a Nietzschean female's family would allow him to breed with her."

"You know that and I know that, but the council would argue that he could conceivably cross path with a fertile omega female who likes him, and she could be permitted to bond with him."

"You mean an omega who hasn't been sterilized? That's usually an oxymoron."

"Terra Zed is not the only planet where they're not considered genetic mistakes, Telamachus."

"True, Olma, but that is still a long shot. And my family's matriarch has never had to be so…thorough with human friends."

"She must be on good terms with the president of the council, so some regulations are not strictly enforced. If, on the other hand, one believes Ghanima Mossadim is a bloated poser who's had a legion of assistants do her evaluations for her for decades, and that she wouldn't be on the council much less president if she hadn't bought the position, and if one isn't shy about saying so-"

"'One' has to jump through more hoops."

"Precisely."

"Still, you should have access to the Drago Kasov pride's human stock records from Earth. You didn't have to come all this way."

Olma snorted. "I never bother with that stuff when it comes to humans. Dry reading and doesn't tell the whole story." She pulled the shriller out of her pocket and tossed it in the air, catching it. "Besides, if I hadn't come here, I wouldn't have acquired this pretty bauble, now, would I? Would it surprise you to learn that when I was a girl, they called me 'Maggie'?"

"Short for 'Magpie.'"

"Indeed." Olma clicked on the shriller. Rhade fell against the nearest bulkhead, holding his ears, but Olma showed no ill effects.

Olma clicked it off. "As expected."

"What..." Rhade stammered, "…how did…I mean.."

"Oh, before was for Seamus' benefit. The truth is, I'm mostly deaf in the ultrasonic range, so this doesn't really bother me. And yes, I could have cut your throat just now, and you could not have done anything about it." She popped the shriller into a pocket and grinned. "Nice to know I've still got it." She turned and continued down the corridor.

Rhade came up behind her. "I think I'm beginning to appreciate how Harper feels about Nietzscheans," he groused.


	30. Chapter 30

Once they got back to DS9, Bashir, Tyr, and Freya were beamed directly to the infirmary. Sisko contacted Odo and told him to keep an eye on their Nietzsche an "guests." He later wished he had gone to the infirmary, too, even if he had been in the way. Because after the *Rio Grande* docked and everybody disembarked, Kyra would not shut up about Beka Valentine.

Guinan kept to a corner of Ops and hid her amusement as Kyra ranted: "….see a hundred like her in any star port, and you can't tell me there's a law of physics mandating low necklines. 'Captain Valentine-'"

"I don't mean to be rude, Major," Sisko said, "but could you double-check that traffic has been stopped through the wormhole?"

"I'm on it, I'm on it." Her fingers danced over the nav computer. "Just got word from the other side - traffic stopped until further notice. But where was I? Oh, yeah: 'Captain Valentine.' Captain my foot! She got that title on her back if she got it anywhere. And I bet-"

"Bashir to Sisko," Bashir's voice said from the room's speakers.

"Sisko here!" Sisko said, not hiding his gratitude. "How are our friends doing?"

"Fine - better than fine. Tyr's surgery was a success and he's expected to make a full recovery…well, from the looks of things, he should be on his feet as if nothing happened in a matter of hours. He'll be coming around in a few minutes, and I wanted to let you know in case you wanted to interview him."

"On my way." Sisko sprang from his chair and headed for the turbo lift.

"I'll tag along," Guinan said, following Sisko.

Dax and O'Brien hustled up the stares.

"Maybe we should come, too," Dax pleaded. "There may be…science…things… to worry about."

"Yeah," O'Brien said, "and I may have to build some doohickey or other, you know, people from another universe and all."

Dax pointed to O'Brien and nodded. "What he said."

"Sorry," Sisko apologized, "but some of my senior officers have to be here in case we receive word from Captain Hunt." He spoke to the lift controls: "Promenade."

Kyra watched the lift sink into the floor and shook her head. "Whatever." The she turned to her hapless colleagues: "Yeah, like I was saying, I bet 'Captain' Beka got Hunt thrown out of whatever military he was in in disgrace, and he had to steal his ship. How else do you explain the fact that…"


	31. Chapter 31

When Sisko and Guinan got to the infirmary, Bashir met them in the outer office.

"I had to use Freya as a baseline for treating Tyr," Bashir explained, "so I was able to gather a lot of information. Their sensory acuity is off the charts. Just from looking at Odo from ten meters away, Freya could tell he doesn't have a skeleton. Oh, and those spikes on her arms are a part of her. She says Tyr originally had his own set of 'bone blades' and did not know what happened to them. I couldn't find any sign of surgical removal, but it doesn't appear to have affected his overall condition. I'm hoping to ask him later. Recuperative powers are also incredible, but it hinges on an engineered immune system that uses nanotechnology. Tyr, as you know, has a second set from the *Andromeda.* They are still transmitting and seem to be functioning normally, so I can infer the same for the technology Freya and Tyr appeared to have been born with. I'd like to keep Tyr under observation to be sure."

"Is that really necessary, Doctor?"

"I don't know; I'm erring on the side of caution. Either way, Freya slipped up and referred to Nietzsche as the 'great philosopher.' What does that tell you?"

"Observation is a good thing."

Bashir followed Sisko and Guinan into the main ward. Freya was sitting by Tyr's bed, Odo watching, arms folded, from across the room. Guinan sidled over to Odo and watched.

"Mr. Anasazi," Sisko said. "I am Captain Benjamin Sisko, commander of this space station."

"Yes," Tyr said, a little woozily. "Freya has informed me that I am in another universe. And that you have been in contact with Dylan Hunt."

"Yes."

"How is Dylan?"

"Fine."

"And the others? Beka, Harper, Trance? Are they all well?"

"I don't know the status of Mr. Harper," Sisko said, "but the others appeared…fine."

"Good," Tyr said.

"I was under the impression you left the *Andromeda*…shall we say, under a cloud."

"I did, but that doesn't mean I harbor any personal animosity towards my former shipmates. That they survived…actually, I'm proud of them for that."

"I see," Sisko said. "Well, the question right now is Freya's survival. According to Dylan, she's dead."

"Yes," Tyr said. "I was there when she died." He thought for a moment. "In this universe, what percentage of the human race is genetically enhanced?"

"Almost none," Bashir said. "Four hundred years ago, Earth had a war over it, the Eugenics Wars. Human genetic enhancement was banned after that."

"Well," Tyr explained, "where…Freya and I come from, about 92% of the human race is genetically enhanced to some extent or other."

"More people like you?" Bashir asked.

"No…" Tyr said. "The Nietzschean subspecies is a minority, but some enhancements are to breath water, live in heavy gravity, things like that. In any case, a…group of purebred humans calling itself the Knights of Genetic Purity had vowed to eradicate all enhanced humans, beginning with Nietzscheans. They attacked my wife's home and she got a distress signal to me on the *Andromeda.* I persuaded Dylan that the Genites had to be stopped and Freya's pride evacuated, along with our son."

Sisko heard the loud gaps in Tyr's story, but decided not to pursue them. "I think I see. Go on."

"The Genites attacked while I was evacuating Orca Pride," Tyr explained. "Three of their troopers cornered me, Freya, and the pride's matriarch, Olma, who held our son. They gave me an ultimatum - the baby for her life. But an understanding passed between us." Tyr's voice shook. "I said to Freya, 'Everything I've done is for our son.' She said, 'I know,' and incapacitated one of the troopers as I fired on them. But they shot her in the back. Olma and I still managed to escape with my son."

"And then what?" Bashir prompted.

"That doesn't matter," Tyr said. He turned to Freya. "My guess is that was the critical moment."

Freya nodded, trying to hold back tears, not quite succeeding. "I ran to you, but then you pushed me aside, and took the bullet meant for me. I saw you die. Then I got our son and Olma to your slip fighter. Dylan rescued us and offered us a home on the *Andromeda.*" She smiled. "Beka, Trance, and Andromeda became like sisters to me. And Harper…" She laughed. "He was…amusing and cute. Although when he and Dylan introduced Tamerlane to basket ball and hover boards, I thought Olma would wring their necks!" She laughed. "They were all very kind, but…" She paused. "I, too, left under a cloud."

"Why?" Sisko asked.

"That's not important." She held Tyr's hand. "What matters now is we are together. Our son will have both his parents now."

"Our son…" Tyr said.

"In any case," Sisko prompted, "the real question on my mind is how Freya is alive now. We seem to have to sort out a total of four universes - two universes and their alternates. Freya, can you shed any light on this?"

"Uh…" Freya said. "No, Captain, I am sorry. I'm not sure what happened. I can not even tell you where I was for certain before I was….here."

"Dylan and his crew are quite adept at situations like this," Tyr said. "I am confident they will solve the mystery. You need not be concerned."

"I see…" Sisko said. "In the mean time, whatever….outstanding issues there are between you and Captain Hunt, this station is, for all intents and purposes, neutral territory. Respect that, and you will have no problem with me."

"Of course, Captain," Tyr said.

Sisko turned to Freya. "Freya, I have no objection if you want to leave the infirmary and stretch your legs, but you will be with an escort, and restricted to the Promenade."

"Of course, Captain," Freya said. "We do not want any trouble. We just want to get home."

"I will see what I can do." Sisko turned to Odo. "Constable. A word."


	32. Chapter 32

Guinan kept her distance as Sisko and Odo went up to the Promenade's mezzanine - probably the only way to be sure the Nietzscheans couldn't hear them.

"Well, Captain?" Odo asked.

"I have a very favorable impression of Captain Hunt," Sisko said.

"We all know what that can be worth," Odo snorted.

"True," Sisko said. "But I think he is an honest broker. I think I can count on his cooperation in this matter."

Odo nodded. "And Tyr and Freya?"

"A dfferent story altogether, Constable."

"You don't trust them, Captain."

"I've read both Nietzsche and Ayn Rand, Constable, so I have good reason."

"They were both lying. Tyr's story had a lot of holes in it."

"Yes, but he seemed genuinely puzzled by the situation. It's not in his best interest to turn on us at the moment. I may not trust him, but he's not the one I'm worried about."

"Freya."

"Yes."

Odo nodded. "She's definitely knows more than she's saying about this mess."

"And that may be a problem. All we can do is wait and see how this plays out. For now, keep an eye on them, Constable."

"You know my motto, Captain: Keep your friends close; keep your enemies under constant surveillance."


	33. Chapter 33

Tyr lay back on his bed and blew out a stream of air. "A universe of people just like Dylan," he lamented. "If the Magog was right and there is a Divine, it must delight in torturing me."

"Speaking of Dylan," Freya prompted, "how do you want to - handle things after this?"

"How did he get involved in this matter?"

"I have the impression Olma - the Olma of your universe - enlisted Dylan's aid. We should…be grateful."

Tyr just looked at her.

Freya half-smiled. "I did grow fond of them, Tyr, and I still think of them fondly."

Tyr smiled. "As do I." He studied the look on her face, then relaxed. "All right, then. We will do what is appropriate. A…final resolution of our differences could wait for another time."

Freya grinned. "I agree."

"All the same, Freya, how did this happen? What did you not tell Captain Sisko?"

"Tyr…"

"You shouldn't hide anything from-"

"Tyr!" Freya snapped, then softened: "From the first moment I first saw you, all I wanted was to be your wife, bear your children, and help you pursue your ambitions. I…I don't care what's brought us back together. As long as I am by your side, nothing else matters."

"If it's really you."

She kissed him. "Does that erase your doubts?" Freya asked. "Or will you need a further demonstration?"

"I don't think good Captain Sisko will permit us that much privacy. But in any event…" He trailed off and thought. Then smiled. "No, you're right. I will accept what has been given….for now."

"That's all I ask, husband."


	34. Chapter 34

As he and K'Elyr followed Trance to the *Andromeda's* command deck, Worf asked if the turbo lifts weren't working.

"Turbo lifts?" Trance asked.

"Yes," Worf said, "elevators between decks and parts of the ship."

"Nope," Trance said, "no elevators. You have to walk everywhere, or climb up and down these ladders."

K'Elyr smiled. "Well, that's one way to take the pounds off."

Trance nodded. "Oddly enough, Harper gets everywhere faster than anyone when he uses the conduits. No one else can do that. Tyr thought he could run on all fours, but no one has seen that."

"Yeah…" K'Elyr said. "Too much information."

When they got to Command, Worf noted that Olma and Commander Rhade had got there ahead of them … and the layout of the command deck. "Interesting," he said.

"What?" Rommie said.

Worf was taken aback. Although he had known Data for years, dealing with so life-like an android who was the embodiment of the ship around him…it would take him a while to adjust.

"Are the weapons stations back here?" Worf asked.

"You're not going to be cleared to fire my weapons."

"That's not what I meant…Andromeda. The floor plan of your bridge is very much like that of the *Enterprise*…the *Enterprise* I first served on." He walked towards the rear consoles. "The weapons stations would have been back here."

"The weapons were there, originally," Rommie explained, "though over time my crew…moved around. Those functions are transferred to the forward stations as need arises."

"The *Enterprise* work stations functioned in a similar manner." He looked around and noted Beka standing at the pilot's station. "Although on the *Enterprise,* the pilots had chairs."

"Yes!" Beka hissed without looking back.

Worf smirked. "Although I did not mind standing at the weapons station."

Beka growled.

"One thing," Rommie said, "what did you mean by saying the '*Enterprise* you first served on'?"

"Oh," Worf said, "unfortunately, the *Enterprise-D* - she had been the latest in a series of ships to bear that name and serial number, in honor of the first *Enterprise* commanded by James T. Kirk - the *Enterprise-D*was destroyed in battle."

Rommie seemed visibly shaken. "How many of the crew survived?"

"There were no casualties. Many were reassigned to her successor, the *Enterprise-E.*"

"Good. Sounds like I would have liked her…her? Did your ship have a female or a male-no, wait, it wasn't sentient-never mind. But it sounds like a good ship."

"Yes, she was." Worf thought, and smiled. "And although not officially sentient, Mr. LaForge-our engineer-had … colorful things to say about her when he had problems with the warp core."

Rommie smiled. "Well, that's what starships run on, Mr. Worf - matter, antimatter, and curses from the engineers."

Beka smiled without looking up from her work. "And it doesn't hurt if the engineer also provides flattery, compliments, pet names, and unneeded upgrades."

Rommie kept smiling. "Mr. Worf. In your experience, have you worked with pilots with a pathological need for cold show-" she broke off at the sound of Harper and Dylan's voices coming through the hatch.

Harper was talking as he entered with Dylan: "C'mon, Boss!"

"No," Dylan said.

"Please? Just think it over-"

"NO! For the last time, Mr. Harper, the other universe can not keep Tyr."

"You sure?"

"Yes!"

"Oh." Harper sagged, then brightened. "Oh, I know: Loan him out for a year or ten, some kind of exchange program."

"Mis. Ter. Harper."

"Ok." Harper turned to his console. "You want to pass up a chance at interuniversal peace and harmony, who am I to judge?"

Dylan blew out a stream of air, then nodded to Worf. "How are you two doing?"

"Fine," K'Elyr said. Worf nodded.

"Good." Dylan turned to his crew. "Status, people."

Beka said, "Well, I'm just putting us in a halo orbit around the L1 LaGrange point. From what Worf told me about how big DS9 is, we should have more than enough clearance if it comes through. Theoretically."

"I think you've handled it, Beka," Trance said.

"Good," Dylan said. "Rommie, open a-"

"Actually, Dylan, they're hailing us."

"When?"

"Just now."

"Oh."

K'Elyr snorted a laugh. "Sorry," she said. "Two universes you open a channel first…." She had to turn away.

"Well, that's good," Dylan said, "because it's better than being shot at. Rommie, on screen."

The central monitor lit to show Sisko and his officers in an amphitheatre-like command center.

"Captain Sisko," Dylan said. "You made it back ok."

"Yes, Captain Hunt. And I have word on Tyr Anasazi. The operation on him has been a success; he is expected to make a full recovery in a matter of hours."

Harper snapped his fingers and muttered under his breath. Everyone else ignored it.

Sisko noticed the exchange and decided not to get involved. "Mr Worf! How have they been treating you?"

"Fine, sir," Worf said.

"Good. Then the only outstanding issue is getting you back."

Dylan said, "Any thoughts on that?"

"Yes," Sisko said. "For that, I'll turn matters over to my operations chief, Miles O'Brien. Mr. O'Brien?"

"I've been going over data from Lt. Dax's tricorder," said a red-haired man. "Following our signal through the wormhole should bring you here, so the real question is what ship to use. I advise against bringing the *Andromeda.* From what I can tell, your sublight engines and artificial gravity should be ok, but unfortunately, Andromeda's quantum processors may not work here. You need something….a bit less sophisticated."

Beka leaned on the flight control station's railing. "Which means my little ol' *Eureka Maru* gets to fly into the unknown again."

Kyra smiled. "I'm sorry, Dear. Did you have other plans?"

"Yeah," Beka said. "Kickboxing. Times like this, I really want to beat someone up."

"Oh, I'm sure we can find something to give you a workout here."

"You can try."

Sisko and Dylan didn't miss the veiled threats between their seconds. They chorused: "Will you excuse me, Captain?"

The screen blanked.

"Sorry," Beka said, "but she still gets under my skin."

"I know," Dylan said, "which is why I want you to stay here."

"Dylan, no, you need your best pilot, and I am the best. You know that."

"Yes, Beka, but this is still a first contact situation with people from another universe, and it won't help if Sisko and my XO's are trying to murder each other-"

"Dylan, no, I can keep it together. Whatever else one may say about … the Major … you don't have to worry about me knocking her teeth out. Really. And I haven't let you down when it counted."

"No, you haven't." Dylan sighed heavily. "Fine."


	35. Chapter 35

After Dylan's image left Ops' main screen, Sisko turned to Kyra.

"Sorry," Major Kyra said, "but she is still getting to me."

"I can see that," Sisko said, "which is why I want you to go to Bajor and coordinate with the Bajoran defense ministry."

"No, Benjamin, I'll be fine."

"I don't doubt your sincerity, Major, but this is still a first contact situation with people from another universe, and it won't do if Captain Hunt and my XO's are trying to murder each other-"

"No, Benjamin, you don't have to worry about my professionalism. While one may question…the character … of Captain Hunt's second-in-command, you need not worry about me knocking her teeth out. Really. You can trust me. And I've never let you down."

Sisko sighed. "No you haven't. Fine." He turned to face the main screen. "Dax-"

Dylan's face reappeared on the big screen.

"…Never mind," Sisko said. "Captain Hunt, I believe we were discussing how to get our people back?"

"We'll have a ship ready to launch inside a half an hour."

"We'll stand by. Sisko out."


	36. Chapter 36

"Ok," Dylan said. "Beka, prep the *Maru* for launch. Mr. Worf, K'Elyr-"

"May I come along?" Olma asked. "I'll want to ascertain Tyr's condition."

"Fine," Dylan said. "Rhade, Trance, you're with us too. Rommie, Mr. Harper, stay in touch with DS9. If things get any weirder, I want you guys on top of it."

Rhade frowned. "How much weirder can it get?" he asked as he followed Dylan and the others out of command.

Beka glanced over her shoulder at the Nietzschean. "After all these months, you have to ask?" She turned to Olma. "There some kind of gene behind that?"

"Undoubtedly," Olma said, appearing to enjoy teasing Rhade, "but we haven't identified it yet. And it's not for lack of trying."

Rhade's eyes flicked between Beka and Olma but he said nothing.


	37. Chapter 37

Beka fired the *Maru's* retros, bringing it to a halt just short of the still-invisible wormhole. Dylan and Rhade looked on from the rear consoles, Olma, Trance, Worf and K'Elyr standing at the railing.

"Ok, DS9," Beka said. "I'm in position."

"Right," Miles O'Brien said from the monitor above Beka's canopy. "Now, Captain Hunt, I want you to keep your eyes on two things: Your antimatter containment and Captain Valentine's hair."

Dylan's eyes flicked up from the flight engineer's station. "Her hair?"

O'Brien nodded. "You use nanotechnology a lot more than we do, so that'll be our canary in the coal mine. If anti-matter containment goes…we have matter/energy transportation. We'll get you out of there if the *Maru* blows."

"It won't," Beka groused. "Anything else?"

"No," O'Brien said.

"In that case," Beka said, "here we go."

Beka hit the throttle. The wormhole opened in front of them. The ship plunged into the tunnel of light and color, but Beka couldn't spare it a glance - her attention stayed focus on the head's-up display and the bright point of DS9's signal source. The *Maru* shook and rattled around them, then orange light flashed in through the canopy.

"Beka-" Dylan said.

"I saw it," Beka said. "Too busy flying. Looks like we're getting close to the end. Hang on…"

Another jolt and the wormhole fell behind them, revealing a star field. Beka recognized the same constellations she had seen on the other side, then looked to her right and saw the bronze rings and arches of Deep Space Nine.


	38. Chapter 38

Sisko watched the Wormhole on Ops' main screen and the *Eureka Maru* popped out. Except for the lack of warp nacelles, it struck him as indistinguishable from the merchant ships that came to DS9.

Beka's voice came through the com: "We're through, DS9, and we have a visual on you."

Dylan came on the channel: "Anti-proton containment looks good." A pause. "And Beka's hair has not become a rainbow."

Sisko turned to O'Brien. "Chief?"

"Checking." O'Brien focused on his sensors. "I'm showing the same here: Their antimatter containment looks solid. Their inertial dampers and structural integrity are holding too." He looked up. "Over all, I'd say she came through in better shape than even some Starfleet vessels."

Dax said, "It may be because of the demands of their FTL drive. We should study their technology and see what could be applied here."

"First things first," Sisko said. "Major? Clear the *Eureka Maru* to land in hangar two."


	39. Chapter 39

Sisko lead Dax, O'Brien, Odo, Guinan, and Kyra into the hangar, and up the steps to the *Eureka Maru's* outer airlock. He tabbed a control. "Permission to come aboard," he said.

"Granted," Dylan's voice said. The inner and outer hatches opened. Sisko lead his group in, and found Worf and K'Elyr with Dylan, Trance, Beka, Olma, and another Netizschean man.

Dylan said, "This is my tactical officer, Lt. Commander Telamachus Rhade. He's along to help take Tyr into custody."

"Mr. Rhade," Sisko said. "All of you. Welcome to DS9."

Rhade grunted.

Sisko turned to his officer. "Mr. Worf…K'Elyr."

K'Elyr smiled. "Commander. It's good to be back."

"'Back'?" Kyra said.

K'Elyr winced but held her smile. "I guess this is slightly awkward."

Sisko nodded and turned to Dylan. "Captain Hunt, I've asked Chief O'Brien to inspect your ship's systems, for the trip back."

"Thanks," Dylan said, "but the *Maru* is not my ship." He jerked a thumb at Beka.

Beka nodded. "Look, but don't touch. You break anything…let's just say it won't be good for interuniversal diplomacy." She tabbed a control on an overhead monitor. "Harper! You there?"

Harper appeared on the screen, still on the *Andromeda's* bridge. "Here, Beka, and don't worry. I'll talk Miles through it; he'll treat the *Maru* like it's his own flesh and blood. You all set, Miles?"

"Ready whenever you are, Seamus-"

"Ok, wait a second," K'Elyr interrupted. "I suppose the law of overages allows for both universes to have captains cut from the same cloth, and yeah, I can see both sides having stoic warrior types. But how did both groups end up with Irish mechanics?" She looked around. "Or am I the only one noticing that?"

Beka said, "You get a little immune to peripheral weirdness after a while." She snapped her fingers and slapped her hands together. "Now all I gotta figure out is what to do while Harper and his new buddy give the *Maru* a going over."

Kyra smiled. "Oh, there are plenty of things on DS9 a *tramp* freighter pilot would find interesting."

Beka smiled back. "And I bet you know what they all are."

"Not really. I don't know what you'd be into."

"And how would you know-"

"Major," Sisko said. "Why don't you take Mr. Worf and K'Elyr back to Worf's quarters? See if they need anything. Constable Odo can take Olma, Mr. Rhade, and Captain Valentine to look in on Tyr and Freya. And…." He trailed off as he pointed at Trance.

Guinan stepped forward. "I'll show Trance around."

"I'd like that," Trance said.

Sisko nodded. "And I will get to know Captain Hunt. And let's try and do this as quickly, people. We don't know how long the connection to our guests' home universe will last."

"Actually," Dax said, "Andromeda and I agree that the connection is very stable and shows no signs of deteriorating."

Dylan and Sisko turned to Dax, a touch of pleading in their eyes.

Dax didn't miss it. "Then again, this is an unprecedented situation, so we can't take anything for granted."

O'Brien disappeared into the engine room, and everyone else left the *Maru* and crossed the hangar. In the corridors, everyone went their separate ways, and when Dylan was sure Beka and Major Kyra were out of ear shot - Guinan and Trance following the two captains - he turned to Sisko. "Thanks for the save," he said.

"No problem," Sisko answered. "At least it's comforting to know I am not the only commander dealing with a second who's not regular military."

"Yes, more 'peripheral weirdness.'"

"So it would seem."

When they got to the turbo lift, Guinan and Trance held back. "We'll take the next one," Guinan said.

Sisko nodded. "Ops," he said. The doors closed.

Guinan looked around, made sure no one was listening, then turned to Trance. "What do you see?" she asked.

"Change, sacrifice, and death," Trance said.

"Damn. I was afraid you'd say that. It's never easy."

"No, it isn't."


	40. Chapter 40

In DS9's Ops Centers, Dylan exchanged pleasantries with Admiral Paris before being ushered into Sisko's office.

"How does it feel, Captain?" Sisko asked, motioning Dylan to a chair across from his desk.

"How does what feel?" Dylan asked as he sat down. "Oh, and please, call me Dylan. I've grown used to a certain amount of informality."

Sisko took his seat. "In that case, you may call me Ben. And I was asking how it feels to be the alien visitor."

"I haven't really thought about it, Ben. And I've had to get used to so many things over the past few years, this doesn't really phase me."

"Yes, there has been some…speculation about your officers."

"It's a long story."

"We have time."

"Well…I grew up in the System's Commonwealth, pretty much the greatest civilization ever. Your Federation sounds a lot like it, although the Commonwealth spanned three galaxies."

"Yes, Dax told me your FTL drive should make it easy to travel between galaxies."

Dylan nodded. "Three hundred years ago, the Nietzscheans rose up against the Commonwealth, and it collapsed in the resulting war. Andromeda and I fought in the opening battle, a trap sprung by the Nietzscheans. We were outnumbered and outgunned. I ordered the rest of the crew to abandon ship while I tried to slingshot us around a black hole. It might have worked if my Nietzschean first officer hadn't betrayed me. Andromeda and I were frozen in time for three hundred years. Captain Valentine and her crew, along with Tyr Anasazi, had been hired to recover and ….loot the ship. But I recruited them to… well, to help me rebuild the Commonwealth. And we succeeded, although there have been…problems lately. But that's why Beka isn't regular military. In fact, when I recruited her, she said, 'I won't salute, you, and I won't call you Captain.' It's kind of a running joke between us."

"I should say," Sisko said. "But I find it astounding - you woke to find your civilization had fallen, and straight away, you set out to put Humpty Dumpty together again, without any of the king's horses and none of his men. It's amazing you're still sane."

Dylan just started at Sisko.

"I'm sorry," Sisko said. "I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories."

"It's not that," Dylan said. "The last time someone like you said something like that to me, it turned out he was crazy, and I had to helps his XO mutiny against him."

"Ah," Sisko said. "Well, Dylan, the voices in my ahead assure me I am still sane. My story is…it almost feels more mundane than yours. This station was built by a race called the Cardascians, who had occupied the planet Bajor for decades. When they pulled out, the Federation was asked to run this station. I was assigned here, and Major Kyra was assigned as my liason. She was a resistance fighter during the occupation, and although she had a commission…"

"She had a little problem with military etiquette."

Sisko smiled. "Only a little. In any case, she disagreed with the provisional government over inviting in the Federation."

"But wait, why was she assigned here? This sounds like a plumb assignment, not the sort of place you'd stash a trouble maker."

"It wasn't a plumb assignment at the beginning. The station originally orbited Bajor…."

"Ah, I get it."

"Yes. But then the wormhole was discovered. We have a 'pokey' FTL drive, so a stable wormhole became *the* strategic location. And DS9 has been one of *the* assignments in Starfleet ever since, as long as you don't mind being precariously balanced on the tip of the spear."

Dylan smiled. "You're right, Ben, compared to my story, that is mundane."

"I didn't get to the best part, Dylan. The Bajorans worship the aliens who created the wormhole, call them The Prophets. When I contacted them, I became a a religious Icon, the prophesied Emissary of the Prophets. It has been trying, at times. But on the other hand, it was a religious order that-"

The com beeped. "Benjamin?" Dax's voice said. "Can I have a moment?"

"Can it wait, Dax?"

"I don't think so."

Sisko tabbed a control on his desk. The office doors slid open and Dax entered.

Sisko said, "Old Man, you have that 'We're in trouble' look."

"There's a look?" Dax asked.

"Can't miss it. What's wrong?"

"There was seismic activity all over Bajor at the moment Tyr and Worf changed places, as well increased activity in Bajor's sun," Dax explained. "I've collated reports of similar activity from all over the Federation. I've also detected disturbances on the sub-quantum level. I've already checked with Andromeda. They don't have FTL communication on their side, but they had seismic and solar activity of exactly the same locations and magnitudes as we did."

"Some kind of shock wave from the connection between the universes?"

"That's the optimistic scenario, Benjamin."

"And the pessimistic scenario, Dax?"

"Apocalyptic."

"I see. Keep me apprised."

Dax nodded and left the office.

Dylan rubbed his eyes. "Damn…I knew things were going to going too smoothly. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"Sounds like that's something that happens to you frequently."

"A little too frequently for my taste. Just once…It's never easy."

"Doesn't sound it."

"Nope. Uh, just one thing, if you don't mind, Ben."

"What, Dylan?"

"Why did you call Dax 'Old Man'?"

"Ah…"


	41. Chapter 41

"Hello, Tyr," Beka said as she entered the hospital ward, Odo, Rhade and Olma behind her.

Freya sprang to her feet and smiled. "Beka! Believe it or not, I'm glad to see you."

"Nice to meet you," Beka deadpanned.

"Yes, um…." Freya swallowed. "What's the phrase Harper would use? 'Awkwaaarrrrrrrdddd.'"

"Yeah, he would. Mind if I have a talk with Tyr?"

"Of course. Come, Olma, I'll show you around."

The two women left.

Beka turned to Odo and Rhade. "Can we have a minute?"

Odo nodded. "Mr. Rhade can wait outside with my men."

Rhade looked at Beka and Tyr, and recognized the history between them. He nodded. "I'll be close."

After Odo and Rhade had left, Beka turned back to Tyr.

Tyr sat up on his bed. "You're looking well, Beka."

"No thanks to you. Oh, and thanks for turning me over to the Abyss."

"But you're free of it now?"

"Yes."

Tyr shrugged.

"Oh, and your buddy Pish has been a bad boy," Beka went on. "Olma says she had to twist his arm to get him to let her contact us."

"What?! He and I discussed the situation before I left."

"So you didn't know he and Hohne had been friends?"

Tyr winced. "Drago's Bones. No wonder. I should have asked…"

"Yeah, after all you did, we were just going to work with the Collectors?"

Tyr betrayed a little impatience. "Beka, what did you think my 'plan b' was?"

"Us!?"

"Of course. I knew there was a chance Dylan would survive our conflict, and I wanted him to have the best chance of stopping the Abyss."

"How thoughtful of you."

"Beka-"

"Just when I think you can't sink any lower, Tyr, you have to pull something like this. How could you? After all we've been through together. I thought I knew you."

"You did, Beka, you did. But what you didn't realize was how great the stakes were. Dylan and I were imposing our wills on the universe, and I realized early on that there would come a time when I could not achieve my goals and stay on the *Andromeda.* I had to make a choice. But believe it or not, I thought it was for the best."

"I'm having a little trouble seeing that."

"I would be happy to explain."

"Well, we seem to have time." Beka pulled a chair over to the bed and plunked down in it. "Convince me."


	42. Chapter 42

Olma sat at the table in what Freya had called the Replimat and watched the life of DS9 swirl by on the Promenade. What fragments of conversations she had overheard indicated this drift was, in fact, a strategic location at the heart of an interstellar conflict. She could see the possibilities.

'Not our place,' she chided herself. 'You have enough to worry about back home.' But she smiled. 'You're not a young woman anymore, Olma. You can only handle one universe at a time.'

Someone put a mug filled with steaming fluid down in front of her. Olma looked up to see Freya sitting across from her with her own mug.

"What's this?" Olma asked.

"Tea," Freya answered. "A blend called earl grey favored by the captain of the Federation's flagship." She took a sip. "It's good. Try it."

Olma took a sip and smiled. "Very good. Where did you get it?"

Freya pointed. "The replicator."

"The what?" Olma looked where Freya pointed, but all she saw was a slot in the wall that some people were standing by.

"They have matter-energy conversion technology here," Freya explained. "They can instantaneously make anything they want as long as they have the equivalent amount of raw materials on hand."

"You've used your time well."

"Yes, while Tyr was in surgery, I researched this station and this universe. It's unbelievable what they make public; they almost make Dylan look like a Nietzschean."

Olma chuckled. "I noticed."

Freya smiled. "I know this is strange, me being 'back from the dead,' but I'm glad to see you. But why are you here? I mean, why are you personally involved? You didn't have to-" She broke off, then leaned closer and added conspiratorially, "It's about Isolde, isn't it? Olma, are you-"

"Freya, the less said about that at this stage, the-"

"Ladies? Am I intruding?"

Freya and Olma turned towards the speaker standing by their table; that they hadn't been aware of him demanded notice, though he did not *seem* threatening. He had reptilian skin and, it seemed, two spinal chords. But he also had dark hair and warm blue eyes, and a smile radiating bonhomie.

'Well,' Olma thought, 'a wolf among the sheep at last. I was beginning to worry.'

Freya said, "You're a Cardassican."

"Yes," the Cardasscian said. "And you, I gather, are the visitors from another universe."

Olma nodded. "I am Olma, and this is Freya of - well, for what it's worth, we are formally of Orca Pride."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, ladies. If all the females in your universe are as lovely as you, I can't imagine why anyone would want to leave. I am called Garack, clothier by trade. Would you do me the honor of visiting my shop? It's just a short walk down the Promenade. I am sure I that I could find something among my poor wares to compliment your beauty."

"Thank you, Mr. Garack," Olma said with a smile. "If time permits, we'll consider it."

"Ladies." Garack nodded to them and left the Replimat.

Olma followed him with her eyes. "Clothier my ass," she said through tight lips.

Freya nodded. "If he's a humble tailor, I'm a vestal virgin."

"Even if he hadn't been able to sneak up on us," Olma said, "the body language was full of tells."

"Yes," Freya agreed, "but he's quite good. And I did see the shop earlier. Not bad as a tailor either."

"The better to maintain his cover."

"Of course."

"This place does seem to be a hot bed of intrigue, Freya."

"Yes, Olma, no less than five powers are contesting for the fate of half the Milky Way Galaxy, and it's all centered on this drift." Freya's eyes glittered. "I could like it here."

"Unfortunately, we won't be staying."

"No, uh, no, of course not."

Olma noted Freya's stumble, but decided not to pursue it and drank some more tea.


	43. Chapter 43

Odo barely looked up from his desk when Quark came into his office and plunked himself in a chair.

"What's your problem?" Odo growled.

"Problem?" Quark said.

"Yes, problem. I'm working on the final details of releasing Tyr and Freya to Captain Hunt, so I don't have a lot of time to waste on you. Is something wrong or not?"

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong. What could be wrong? I'm going to be the co-owner of a counting house on Ferenginar. I get to leave this beetle-trap of a space station and these acquisitiveness-challenged hyu-monns behind." He looked around the office. "So what if this is the longest I've ever stayed in one place? I'll be rich beyond my wildest dreams. So nothing's wrong." He sighed.

Odo chuckled. "You don't want to leave."

"Is it that obvious?"

"'All that glitters is not gold'?"

"Never thought I'd believe that hyu-monn bromide."

"Well, forgive me if I don't feel sorry for you. From the moment I met you, you've been chasing one get-rich-quick scheme after another. Well, you've won, Quark. You're going to have your wildest dreams realized. Congratulations."

Quark smiled slightly. "Thanks, Odo."

"For what?"

"For being you. I can always count on you for giving me a kick in the head when I need it."

"So you feel better about the situation?"

"Didn't say that. But at least I know the best thing to do is stop moping."

"Never thought I'd be a Ferengi's counselor."

"Hey, could be a good sideline for you. No overhead. Take a couple of slips of latinum, half-listen to their troubles, and growl something. Profit margins would be enormous."

Odo chuckled. "The frightening part is I was considering that."

Quark chuckled back.

The door opened, and Pi Meson shambled in. He plunked himself into the chair next to Quark's and sighed.

Odo sagged.


	44. Chapter 44

"Damn, Worf," K'Elyr said, reading a PADD as she and Worf walked along the mezzanine above the Promenade.

"What is that?" Worf asked.

"Oh, I had Andromeda transmit background on the Commonwealth; I started reading it while we there, but didn't get to finish. But get this: The Commonwealth - basically the Federation on steroids - collapsed three hundred years ago (although they're actually thousands of years ahead of us). Dylan comes out of being frozen in time and he and his crew started a new one - for real, I am not making that up - but now that one is a mess. Sounds like a job for a freelance diplomat; we missed one hell of an opportunity."

"Yes, but we are home now-" Worf broke off as he saw Dylan and Olma coming from the opposite direction.

"…greatest achievement?" Dylan was saying. "Oh, hello, Worf, K'Elyr."

"Captain," Worf said. "I would like to again thank you for your hospitality aboard your ship."

"You are welcome Mr. Worf." He shook himself. "Damn."

The two Klingons fell in step behind Olma and Dylan.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Dylan asked.

"Yes," Olma said. "You were saying?"

"Oh, yes, Harper's greatest achievement. Most people would say Rommie, but I think it was just keeping the *Andromeda* running."

"Yes, Beka said it was just him for a long time."

Dylan nodded. "The *Glorious Heritage* class was designed to have 426 engineers operating in three shift rotations, and a skeleton crew simply could not keep her running for any length of time. Yet Harper did it single-handedly for more than two years. Why all the interest in him? I've compared notes with Beka and Rhade, and you've given them slightly different stories."

"Yes," Worf mused as the group descended a spiral staircase to the Promenade's main level, "in feuds between Klingon Houses, the wife of the family's leader only takes such an interest if there is the possibility of resolving the conflict - or at least securing a truce - through … allowing a marriage."

Olma snapped a look over her shoulder. "Yes, Mr. Worf, prides also resolve disputes - or heal splits - through marriage."

"So-wait a minute-" Dylan stammered. "Are you saying-I mean, do you think-"

"It's a contingency I have to be prepared for," Olma said. "Your feud with Tyr is actually in a very early stage, so who knows? Besides, I'd have to find a female who'd be attracted to Seamus."

K'Elyr said, "Since when does the bride in a political marriage have to have feelings for the groom?"

"Since Nietzschean females always have the last word over whom they mate with," Olma said. "Only a family member could even think of ordering a female to marry someone she felt nothing for. No, it would have to be voluntary."

"Good luck finding a volunteer," Dylan lamented.

"You think I wouldn't, Dylan?"

"Harper isn't exactly lucky with the ladies, Olma. I don't know if it's me being around or what, but the poor guy doesn't get anywhere. It's pretty obvious that's part of the reason he fawns all over Andromeda and Rommie. But Harper can have his moments. When he lets himself, he can be a great guy. He deserves somebody." Dylan shrugged.

"That just makes it more challenging," Olma said. "Hypothetically, of course, if we couldn't find someone who already knew Harper, I could work up a psychological profile of someone who would go for him and go on from there."

"Seriously?" Dylan said.

"Yes," Olma said. "Half my job is making sure couples will actually go for it if the genetic screenings are ok. It's a lot more problematic than you think, especially in a pride where everyone has known their potential breeding partners since childhood. Personalities shouldn't enter into it, but it does. Which reminds me - Dylan, do you understand this 'friend zone' business? It's been a real problem in recent years. If I had a Throne for every time I heard, 'But I can't choose him; he's my best friend,' I could have bought off the Than Hegemony and snapped up the *Andromeda* with the spare change."

Dylan chuckled. "The *Andromeda* is not for sale, Olma."

"Captain Hunt, never underestimate the determination of a Nietzschean woman looking for a bargain." They had reached the entrance to the infirmary. Sisko, Beka, Trance, Tyr, Freya, Bashir, Guinan, Odo and Rhade were waiting. Tyr didn't have handcuffs on, but Rhade stayed at his elbow.

"Did someone say bargain?" Beka said. "Oooh, do I smell a shopping trip?"

"Shhhoooppppingggg," Freya said. She slapped Beka's shoulder. "You, me, Rommie, and Trance - The Four Bargain Hunters of the Apocalypse."

Beka couldn't not smile. "Sounds like fun."

Dylan said, "Let's get home first. Then see how things work out."

"Agreed," Tyr said, "I am looking forward to spending time in my quarters."

"Quarters?" Dylan said.

Tyr sagged. "I forgot. I no longer have quarters there, do I, Dylan?"

"No, Tyr, as a matter of fact, after you left, that's where Harper put the foosball table."

"What-" Tyr stammered. "You mean he finally unpacked it?"

"Yes," Dylan said.

"When was this?"

"About a week after you left. Yeah, he did it while we stopped a Ganglia Drift."

"I'd been looking forward to that, Dylan! Foosball was one of my favorite games as a boy. And you didn't think to mention this the last time I saw you?"

"What the-Tyr, you were trying to kill me!"

"So?"

"Oh, brother…"

Sisko chuckled, but his smile faded as he saw Major Kyra coming over to them. "Major?" he called. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, everything's fine." Kyra turned to Beka. "Captain Valentine, Chief O'Brien's finished his work on your ship. Most of what he found looks like wear and tear, nothing your Mr. Harper can't handle. We topped off your fuel tanks and you're good to go."

Beka smiled. "Well, thank you, Major."

"Also…" Kyra took a deep breath. "I want to apologize for the way I spoke to you earlier. It was conduct unbecoming an officer and rude on a personal level. I have no business judging you. For that, I am sorry."

(Dylan and Sisko smiled.)

Beka smiled. "That's nice of you, Major, but I can't accept your apology."

"'Scuse me?"

"What I mean is, I should apologize to you. I admit, I've been picking a fight with you since this started, and I really shouldn't have done that. So please, accept *my* apology."

"No, no, Captain, no, you have nothing to apologize for. As your host, I should have behaved properly, and I didn't. So please, *you* accept *my* apology."

(Dylan and Sisko's smiles faded.)

"Look, I am going out of my way to be nice here," Beka said. "Can't you just be gracious and accept my apology?"

"I am one of the most gracious people I know!" Kyra shot back. (Dylan and Sisko looked like they were having migraines.) "As opposed to someone who was raised in barn."

"Then you'll be relieved to know I was raised on the *Maru.*"

"What, that slag heap? That explains it."

"What are you saying?"

"I think you know what I'm-"

"Ops to Sisko and Captain Hunt!" Dax's voice called from nearby wall monitor.

Sisko and Dylan managed not to look (too) relieved as they crossed to the monitor, everyone else bunching up behind them. Sisko said, "Go ahead."

The screen split, Dax on one side, Andromeda's screen image on the other.

Dax said, "Benjamin, some kind of distortion wave has left Bajor; it has the same energy signature as the Orb of Ages."

"And we are detecting the same wave," Andromeda said, "which is incongruous because it is approaching faster than the speed of light and we don't have the equipment to detect it. But it is expanding in all directions."

"Can you get to slipstream?" Dylan asked.

"We couldn't get far enough from the wormhole in time," Andromeda said, "and even then, I am having difficulty detecting slip points."

"And I'm having trouble raising the shields," Dax said. "There's a lot of subspace interference."

Dylan and Sisko asked, "Time to impact."

Dax and Andromeda chorused, "Seven seconds."

The group turned to face the mezzanine window just as they filled with orange light. Then it washed over the Promenade. Worf shook as a feeling of dizziness washed over him, then it passed….

…but then he felt mild pain in his back, and slightly weak. "What? I don't feel good."

"Strange," Tyr said. "I feel invigorate-" He broke off as he gawked at Worf. "What happened to you?"

Worf turned to the Nietzschean and saw him wearing a Starfleet uniform, with the same coloration and rank Worf had. "What happened to-" Worf started, just as he and Tyr saw their reflections in a nearby shop window. They stepped closer to it. Worf was wearing the red vest and black pants Tyr had sported.

"Mr. Anasazi," Sisko said. "Are you feeling all right?"

Tyr gawked at Sisko, and at the…the familiarity in Sisko's voice. "'Mr. Anasazi'?" he breathed.

"Doctor," Sisko said.

Bashir passed a medical scanner over Worf. "Worf's sutures seem to be holding," he said, "and he's not rejecting the synthetic blood I had to use-"

"Synthetic blood?" Worf stammered.

"Yes, when I operated on you to remove the bullet."

"What bullet!?"

Dylan said, "From when I shot you six months ago."

"Yeah," Beka said, "y'know, when you fed me to the abyss to save your own neck?"

"This must be another trick," growled a Klingon in their group, and Tyr realized that underneath the brow ridges and dark hair, he had the same face as Telamachus Rhade.

"Rhade?" Tyr said. "Is that you?"

"Rhoarde," the …. Klingonized Rhade corrected. "What concern of it is yours?" He glared at Worf. "Your attempt at a delay will not work. You will answer for how you have dishonored all Klingons by betraying the Commonwealth and Captain Hunt."

"*My* betrayal?" Worf stammered.

"No, Rhoarde," Dylan said, "I don't think this is a trick."

Tyr stepped closer to Dylan. "Dylan, your fiancee's name was Sarah Riley. She was the niece of your mentor, Admiral Stark. You were in the final stages planning your wedding when the Nietzscheans launched their offensive against the Commonwealth-"

"Nietzshceans?" Dylan stammered. "So wait, Nietzscheans and Romulans destroyed the Commonwealth?"

"'Romulans'?" Tyr said.

Worf said, "The Romulans are from here, too."

"So you were saying…" Dylan prompted.

"Yes," Tyr said. "You were lured into a trap at Hephaestus and betrayed by your Nietzschean first officer, Geheris Rhade. You and Andromeda were frozen in time on the edge of a black hole for three hundred years. Beka and her crew had been hired by a Nightsider named Gerentix - who, if memory serves, still owes Harper 84,000 Thrones - and I lead a team of mercenaries to deal with any High Guard leftovers. Our…relationship has had its complexities since them."

"'Complexities'?"

"We fought six months ago. You shot me while rescuing Beka from the Abyss' universe."

"I shot you, not Worf."

"Yes," Tyr said. "And strangely enough, I now miss having that bullet wound."

"You can have it," Worf said. He turned to Sisko. "Captain. Your wife was killed at the Battle of Wolf 359. Your sun is Jake. He aspires to be a writer. He is a friend of Nog, the nephew of Quark. You are revered by the Bajorans as the Emissary of The Prophets. You have chafed under that role, but have accepted it since a Bajoran from the past briefly accepted that mantle and tried to reactivate the Bajoran caste system."

Kyra stammered, "How can you know that?"

Beka's eyes flicked between Tyr and Worf, "Oh, crap, something…something..."

Kyra shook her head. "Not again."

"So stuff like this happens here, too?" Beka asked.

"Sometimes," Kyra said. "But when it does, I get a headache thinking about it."

"Oh, yeah, nail through the head."

"Yup."

"Ok," Dylan said, "I guess no one's going anywhere until we sort this out."


	45. Chapter 45

Beka sat in the pilot seat of the *Maru* and watched the video record transmitted from the *Andromeda* play on the monitor above her head.

"I don't like threats," Beka said on the screen, drawing her pistol in the corridor of the *Andromeda Ascendant.*

"Neither do I," Gerentix said, "which is why I brought him along."

The big doors behind Gerentix opened, and Worf lead his squad of mercenaries in.

"I'll take it from here," the big Klingon boomed.

"Freeze playback," Beka said. The image froze. Beka closed her eyes and put herself back in that day, the moment she'd seen Worf for the first time, coming through the airlock in a chain mail shirt.

"Damn," Beka said. She looked down at the stack of photos on her lap. Dylan had insisted on having group photos of himself and the crew taken every year. Every one of them showed Worf. Tyr Anasazi was as absent from the photos as he was from her memories. And Worf loomed large, in more ways than one.

"Boss?" Harper appeared in the monitor.

"Harper," Beka said, "tell me you don't remember Worf."

"Yeah, unfortunately I do remember ol' Worthless, and I don't want to think about him."

"So when we fought the Magog…"

"It was him."

"And the 'Where's there's life there's hope' stories-"

"It was him!"

"Yeah, ok, so someone has turned reality into an etch-a-sketch, and we have to undo it."

"Yeah, well, one way or another, we had a big stoic warrior type betray us, and I will be happy when whichever one of them who's supposed to have done it is out of our lives again."

Beka chuckled. "Thanks for being you, Harper. Stay in touch."

Harper left the screen.

"Any luck?" Major Kyra asked, entering with Dylan and Sisko behind her.

"Nope," Beka said as she came up from the pilot's well. "I've checked the *Maru's* records, the *Andromeda's,* and talked to Harper. Everything agrees Worf was part of the *Andromeda's* crew. Worf, Tyr, Freya, K'Elyr and Olma are the only ones who know any different."

Kyra said, "What about Guinanan and your Trance Gemini?"

"Major," Sisko said, "I have the impression involving our mystery woman might not be helpful."

"Damn," Beka said. "Can this get any weirder? What I'm saying? Of course it can."

"And what about alternate realities?" Kyra said. "What's it like to live through that? Chief O'Brien once got kicked forward in time thanks to the point singularity in a Drago-Kasov warp …. Well, somebody's warp core. Just a few hours, then he'd snap back. But he saw the destruction of Deep Space Nine, and I was killed…and I wasn't. I get a headache from thinking about it."

Beka nodded. "I once met a future version of myself. She was a tough-as-nails cyborg, but that's because the *Andromeda* was destroyed. But it wasn't, so, am I supposed to be a cyborg now? What was it like for her?"

"It seemed so simple when I was assigned to DS9. I have a big mouth, and they kicked me up to be second bannan to a Federation panty-waist…" Kyra turned to Sisko. "No offense, Benjamin; things have changed since then." Back to Beka: "Anyway, I remember thinking, 'Well, at least it'll be quiet.' Hardly."

"When I salvaged the *Andromeda,*" Beka said, "I thought the worst thing I'd have to deal with was Harper going on and on about the sexual escapades he'd have on Seraglio with his money. Never saw a dime. And when Dylan said he wanted to reform the Commonwealth, all I could think was, 'Ok, maybe the time dilation scrambled his brains somehow-'" She broke off turned to Dylan. "But obviously, I was wrong about you."

"Say, Beka, do you like root beer?"

"I don't hate it, Kyra."

"Nyres. Kyra is my family name."

"Ah."

"Anyway, I was thinking our crews' big brains will need a couple of hours to sort this out, and Quark just got some real root beer from Earth. So I figured I'd treat you to some root beer and we could compare notes on dealing with the weirdness." Kyra turned to Sisko. "With your permission, Captain."

Sisko nodded. Kyra and Beka left.

"Ben, I am probably the last person to tell anyone how to run his command," Dylan said, "but I'd hate to think I was being a bad influence."

Sisko smiled. "It may be a little late for that."

"Yes, but still, do you want your XO off active duty during a crisis?"

"Normally, I would agree, Dylan. But at the moment, our first officers aren't trying to murder each other. I will take what I can get."

"I had a hunch you'd say that…"


	46. Chapter 46

"Mr. Worf?" Dax's voice said. "I have the *Enterprise.*"

Worf straightened up. "Thank you. On screen."

The conference room on the *Enterprise-E* appeared on the conference room monitor, and they were all seated around the table - Picard, Riker, Data, Dr. Crusher, LaForge…Deanna… all his old friends….

… all looking at him as if they'd never seen him before in their lives.

"Captain," Worf said. "Have you read Captain Sisko's report?"

Picard nodded. "Yes, Mr. … Worf. I must say, even given some of our missions, this is extraordinary."

"That is one way of putting it," Worf said.

LaForge said, "And you and Tyr are the only ones who know how things were before."

"Yes," Worf said.

Riker said, "And everything that we think happened with Mr. Anasazi happened with you?"

"Yes, Commander," Worf said.

"Then you must owe me five slips of latinum form when we pulled in to DS9 last month."

Worf smiled. "You owe me five slips, Commander. You should stick to poker and leave tongo to the experts."

"Damn," Riker said.

Data was plus-plus-nonplussed: "I am curious about the *Andromeda's* artificial intelligence. Would it be possible for me to interface with her?"

Before Worf could answer, a small window opened in the screen. Andromda's screen image looked at Worf imploringly and shook her head. Then the window closed.

"There have been communications problems," Worf said. "It may not be possible. But I will see what can be arranged."

"Thank you, Commander."

"Well, Mr. Worf," Picard said, "from the sound things, Captain Sisko and his opposite number have the situation in hand. Contact when all this is over and tell us what happened."

"I will, Captain. It was good to see you all."

Picard smiled. "*Enterprise* out."

The screen blanked. Then Andromeda appeared on it. "Worf?"

"Andromeda?"

"Thank you. I know he is … should be… your friend … but my avatar and I can't stand Pinocchios."

"Data is an acquired taste. I understand."

Andromeda smiled and left the screen.

K'Elyr came over from where she had been standing by the door and put her arm around Worf's shoulder.

Worf said, "I wonder how Tyr is doing?"

"I thought you said he has no honor," K'Eylr said.

"He does not. But he does not deserve to have his life taken from him."


	47. Chapter 47

"Geenan, what'sh this drink called again?" Trance said. She was sitting next to Guinan at the bar in Quark's, although one would be forgiven for thinking Guinan was sitting and Trance was trying not to fall off.

"Saurian Brandy," Guinan said, "and for someone with no stomach you have drunk your way through a good chunk of Quark's stock. If this was my place, I would have cut you off half an hour ago."

"Alcah….alcah…Alachua…Booze doesn't effect me the way it does organn….or…gan…ics. And Guinan, do you know where the money maker is? I asked Beka years ago and she still won't tell me."

Freya chuckled and turned away from the two mystery women and ascended the spiral staircase. She found Beka and Kyra at a table by the top of the stairs, laughing over a couple of root beers. Freya traded waves with them and went to Tyr, seated a few tables over with his nose in a PADD.

Freya stuck her arm in front of Tyr. "What do you think?"

Tyr looked up at her. "Huh?"

"The gauntlets. Apparently, Garack had them on order for me." She sat down. "What do you think?"

"Um, yes, fine."

"Boy, you haven't had a lot of relationships, have you?"

"What?"

"What are you reading?" Freya asked.

"The history of our people in this reality," Tyr answered. "It's all here: Drago Mussevini, the prides, the major figures in our history all tied up with something called the Eugenics Wars on Earth. I haven't found a single inconsistency." He dropped the PADD and buried his face in his hands.

"Fascinating," Freya said.

Tyr looked up. "When we returned from the Magog World Ship, when Harper learned he was infested, he wanted to die. And when I remonstrated with him, he said, 'If that's another where there's life there's hope speech, I could use that right now.' Harper's infatuation with Andromeda, philosophical debates with the Magog, bumping heads with Beka and Dylan, the ship's suspicions of me - all that has been taken from me. I spoke to Harper a quarter of an hour ago, and he acted like he'd never met me. I actually missed having him insult me. If we can't fix this, all I will have are memories." He paused. "I think I understand Dylan a little better."

Freya took one of his hands in hers. "Tyr, you left that all behind you-"

"That doesn't mean they mean nothing to me, Freya. That doesn't mean I don't cherish those memories. What about you? You lived with them for some time. Doesn't it bother you that they don't remember you?"

"The memory I cherish most is seeing you for the first time," Freya said. "I felt something in me come alive. Of course, I had to play the ice queen: 'He's a better breeding specimen; we could use new DNA.' But inside, my heart was singing. You were everything I ever wanted. And now that I have you again, I'm not worried about anything else."

"Freya-"

Freya and Tyr turned at cat-calls. Beka and Kyra were whistling after Worf as he and K'Elyr came over to them. Then Kyra and Beka turned to each other and laughed.

Worf and K'Elyr sat at Tyr's table, Worf looking straight ahead with stiff dignity. "Have your pants always been so tight?" Worf said. "It is most undignified."

"I will have to look into it," Tyr answered. "How are you doing?"

"I am…coping. You?"

"I will be well."

Worf half-smiled. "That bad, huh?"

Tyr smiled in spite of himself. "Par for the course, actually. I've actually missed these adven-"

"There you all are," Olma said, coming over with a Bajoran security guard. "Captains Sisko and Hunt have made progress. He would like to see us."

K'Elyr pointed at Beka and Kyra as she stood up. "What about them?"

Olma said, "My impression is they will be called for when needed. For now, Ben and Dylan want to see us."


	48. Chapter 48

When they got to the conference room, they found Starfleet and Bajoran Militia security outside the door. Inside, Dylan and Sisko waited with Jadia Dax; Andromeda's screen image filled the conference room screen.

Sisko said, "Olma, could you wait outside?"

"Of course, Captain." She left.

Tyr said, "Uh-oh."

Worf frowned. "'Uh-oh'?"

"This is where we find out the situation is far worse then we previously imagined," Tyr explained, "and that there will be dire consequences for up to and including the entire universe if we do not resolve this crisis."

"Does this happen to you everywhere you go?"

"All the time. Curiously enough, that part of my luck hasn't changed much since I left the *Andromeda.*"

Worf grunted.

Sisko smiled. "I see you gentlemen are coping with your situation?"

Worf said, "We will do what is asked of us." He turned to Tyr. "Will we not?"

Tyr nodded. "So…how bad is it?"

"Dax?" Sisko said.

"It's pretty bad," Dax said. "At each moment of transposition, we recorded seismic disturbances on every planet in the Bajor system and increased activity on Bajor's star. Every other planet in the Federation has reported the same effects at exactly the same time, and they are worse each time. Andromeda's side doesn't have FTL communication, but the Collectors dispatched couriers and have received reports of the same thing on their side."

Tyr said, "Some kind of shock wave?"

"It is worse than that…Commander Anasazi," Andromeda answered. "The two universes share some identical physical properties. Newtonian mechanics, gravitation, chemistry, electromagnetism, relativity, most biology and many subatomic particles behave according to exactly the same physical laws. But other higher energy effects are different."

"For instance," Dax explained, "Andromeda's FTL is based on the slipstream. We have discovered that here. But in this universe, it would take the combined output of a thousand warp cores to open a portal the size of an electron. Hardly practical for interstellar travel."

"And Persieds researched the kind of space warping Dax's side uses," Andromeda said, "as a method of travel A. I.'s could navigate. They found that even if it wasn't several orders of magnitude slower than slipstream, it took an impractical amount of energy. That research was abandoned."

"At a sub quantum level, our space times are fundamentally incompatible," Dax said, "but the Orb of Ages has created a connection between them. It is like two tissues rejecting each other. And even when there are no visible macroscopic disruptions, at the sub-quantum level, things are getting worse by the second. We estimate that if we don't break the connection in 24 hours, both universes will be completely destroyed."

"Told you," Tyr said.

"Indeed," Worf said. "But what is to be done? And why are you conferring with us first?"

Dax nodded. "As noted, the universes have many similarities, so Andromeda and I started cross referencing."

Andromeda's image shrank to a corner of the screen, while the rest filled with a star map of part of the Milky Way Galaxy. Two dots appeared on the map, one green and one pink.

Andromeda said, "This is a map of this quadrant of the Milky way Galaxy. The green dot is Earth; the pink dot is Bajor."

"Earth's star system is identical in both universes," Dax said, "although their histories diverge after the year 1965 by the Gregorian Calendar. Bajor is a dead world on the other side and a thriving world here, but both star systems have the wormhole and the Orb of Ages, and the wormhole ends at the same point in both Mily Way Galaxies. We started cross-referencing to see what else we could find."

Two more dots appeared, one red, one white.

Andromeda said, "in Worf's biography, the red dot is Romulus, home of the Romulan empire, who's attack killed his family. And in Tyr's life, it is-"

"Enge's Redoubt," Tyr yelped, "home of the Drago-Kasov pride?"

Dax nodded. "And the Dragon attack killed your family."

"Then the white dot must be Khitomer," Worf said, "the outpost where my family was murdered."

"We did not have a name for the planet," Tyr said. "We lived on an asteroid in a high, synchronized orbit."

"Asteroid? Khitomer's main defensive batteries were on an asteroid that had been moved into orbit. Dax, do you and Andromeda have-"

"Images of the asteroids?" Andromeda said. "Yes. Displaying."

The larger portion of the screen split, but both sides showed exactly the same asteroid.

Worf and Tyr exchanged glances.

Dylan said, "Your enemies come from the same star system. You were orphaned in attacks on the same planet. And you both have beautiful wives who died. That can not be a coincidence."

"If there was any doubt before," Sisko intoned, "there is none now. Gentlemen, everything that has happened has been all about you."

Dylan smiled, turning on the charm. "But let's not forget you're not the only ones involved. This is also about Freya and K'Elyr, too."

Sisko smiled. "Indeed. Ladies? Would either or both of you have any insight into the current situation?"

"Yes, ladies," Dylan said, "Ben and I agree you may have a great deal to say to us."

Freya and K'Elyr's faces hardened …..


	49. Chapter 49

"But Bunyan," Trance slurred, "I still don't underst-" She broke off and sat up straighter on her bar stool. "I feel funny-"

"Of course, you do-" Guinan started, then she broke off. "Wait-"

Both women vanished in a flash of orange light. At the next stool over, Pi Meson jumped. "What!? Cousin, did you see that?"

Behind the bar, Quark nodded, unruffled by what had happened. "Welcome to DS9, Cousin."


	50. Chapter 50

Orange light flashed next to O'Brien's station in Ops. Harper appeared half a meter off the deck and landed with a thump, losing his balance and falling over.

"Seamus!?" O'Brien yelped. He helped the other engineer up. "How'd you get-"

O'Brien's console beeped for attention. He consulted the readouts. "There's a ship appearing in a halo orbit around the station." He touched a control in time to see a huge, sleek, sliver vehicle ripple into existence in the space near the station. "Is that the *Andromeda?*"

"Yeah!" Harper said. "How'd she get here?"

"How should I know?" More readouts commanded O'Brien's attention. "We just lost the data link to the *Andromeda.* EM and subspace communication are all-"

"Miles!" Harper pointed.

O'Brien looked at the main screen. The *Defiant* was floating towards the *Andromeda,* as orange lightening began to flash between them.

"That can not be good," Harper moaned.

"No argument. And we've got another distortion wave leaving Bajor. Looks even bigger than the last one."

"Oh, crap."

The screen view shifted towards the orange wave, accelerating towards them, but they could see lightening crackle congeal behind it into a squadron of …. Harper thought they were Nietzschean ships, but the engines looked wrong, and they all had long necks ending in bulbous pods at their prows.

"Double crap," Harper said.

O'Brien checked his console. "I. F. F. reads them as Klingonean attack cruisers. What the hell's a Klingonean?"

"How should I know-Oh, triple crap!"

O'Brien looked at the big screen. The distortion wave touched the *Andromeda* and the *Defiant.* They had enough time to witness the two ships ripple and melt together, becoming something slightly smaller than the *Andromeda,* basically the same shape but with an elliptical main hell and nacelles in its out runners, when the orange light washed over ops…

…. Brien O'Harper blinked and shook his head. The tall, lanky human, with curly blonde hair, touched the cybernetic implant on his right temple. Not for the first time he was the only human in Eureka Deep Space's Ops center, all the other positions held by Ferengi.

O'Harper forced himself to turn away from the main screen and the image of the *Androzia Defiant* and check his readouts. No surprises there - the Ferengi trading post was surrounded by Klingonean attack cruisers.

"Klingnoean bastards," he growled. "Congratulations, Tyworthelss, ya cought us with out pants down. Hope you break your arm patting yourself on the back."


End file.
